US weighs moving Persian Gulf operations to Israel after Iran strikes – WSJ
The United States is weighing whether to shift some military operations away from vulnerable Persian Gulf sites after Iranian strikes caused extensive damage to its naval base in Bahrain, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Citing satellite imagery, verified social media footage and interviews with current and former service members, the Journal said Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, was repeatedly targeted between late February and June.
The strikes damaged the base’s command headquarters, at least a dozen other buildings and two satellite communications terminals, according to the report.
Washington is considering refitting the Bahrain base while reducing its footprint in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and moving some operations farther west, potentially to Israel, two officials told the Journal.
The report suggests Iran’s missile and drone campaign has forced a broader US rethink of how exposed its Persian Gulf military network remains to future attacks.
