US may relocate military bases from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia: Report

Israel is among the locations being evaluated as Washington reassesses its military posture.

The United States is considering relocating some military bases or operational functions from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as part of a review of its military posture in the Middle East following Iranian missile and drone attacks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to US officials familiar with the deliberations, Washington is exploring measures to reduce the vulnerability of its forces if hostilities with Iran resume. One option under consideration is shifting some military assets farther west, with Israel among the locations being evaluated. Officials said no final decisions have been made.

Dnn̈amage at Bahrain naval base

The report said repeated Iranian strikes caused extensive damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Based on satellite imagery, social media footage and interviews with current and former US service members, the newspaper found that the command headquarters, more than a dozen buildings and two satellite communications terminals were among the facilities damaged.

The attacks formed part of a broader campaign that targeted at least 20 US military and diplomatic sites across the Middle East during the conflict, prompting Washington to reassess the security of installations located within range of Iranian missiles and drones.

The Pentagon has not publicly disclosed the full extent of the damage. Using publicly available Defence Department cost models and procurement records, the newspaper estimated that reconstructing the affected structures would cost about USD 400 million. The estimate covers construction costs only and excludes equipment replacement, debris removal and other related expenses.

US military officials told the newspaper that operations at the Bahrain base continued without significant disruption and that no personnel were killed there. Most personnel had been evacuated before the strikes, while a limited number remained at the facility.

Military posture under review

According to the report, officials are considering broader changes to the US military’s regional infrastructure. Options include relocating command-and-control facilities underground, dispersing military assets across multiple locations to reduce risk and deciding whether some damaged structures should be rebuilt.

The newspaper also reported that the US government restricted access to some commercial satellite imagery of affected American bases during the conflict, saying the measure was intended to help protect US forces.

Regional conflict

The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military, nuclear and government sites. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, US military installations and other strategic locations across the Middle East, triggering a prolonged regional conflict.

The fighting later expanded to include air strikes, missile exchanges, naval incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, cyberattacks and attacks on military infrastructure. The conflict also disrupted commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, with several merchant vessels coming under attack off the Oman coast, including ships carrying Indian crew members. The incidents prompted rescue operations, diplomatic efforts by India and tighter security measures for commercial shipping.

By June 27, the conflict had entered its 120th day, with renewed military activity continuing to test the fragile ceasefire framework