The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. is weighing a reduction of its military footprint in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, while upgrading its naval support base in Bahrain, after Iranian missile and drone strikes caused billions of dollars in damage. Officials told the Journal that some destroyed sites may not be rebuilt, command centers may move underground, and some bases may shift westward — including to Israel.
The Wall Street Journal reports a major reassessment of the U.S. military posture in the Persian Gulf after Iranian strikes inflicted billions of dollars in damage on American bases. According to officials cited by the Journal, Washington is considering reducing its presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia while upgrading and reorganizing the Naval Support Activity base in Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
Satellite imagery analyzed by the outlet shows that the base's command headquarters was severely damaged, along with dozens of other buildings and two satellite communication terminals. Some destroyed sites may not be rebuilt at all; command-and-control facilities are being considered for relocation underground.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday morning, a separate WSJ investigation found over $400 million in damage to the Bahrain base alone. Earlier reports this week documented Iranian strikes on five allied bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, with visual confirmation of a direct missile hit on the Fifth Fleet facility. A senior Iranian official told the Journal earlier on Friday that the attacks had forced the Pentagon to rethink its force posture — a claim now echoed by the U.S. considerations reported by the same newspaper. The potential relocation of some assets to Israel marks a significant strategic shift under discussion.
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