According to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal, Iranian missile strikes carried out between the end of February and June this year caused significant damage to a US Navy base in Bahrain. Analysis of satellite imagery, videos from social media, and interviews with US service members showed that the missiles broke through the air defense system and hit at least a dozen buildings, including the command post and satellite communications stations. At the same time, the Pentagon has not yet officially acknowledged the extent of the destruction.
Although US command officials say there were no casualties among personnel and that the base’s operational capability was not undermined, WSJ data indicates otherwise. Most staff were evacuated in advance after the start of the US-Iranian war against Iran on February 28. CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins emphasized that the priority was protecting people, not buildings, adding that of more than 8,000 missiles and drones launched by Iran, only two resulted in Americans being killed.
In response to the attacks, the US carried out strikes against 13,500 Iranian targets. However, according to informed sources, damage to the base in Bahrain and to at least 20 other US sites in the region (both military and diplomatic) forced Washington to rethink its entire military architecture in the Middle East. The Pentagon is now examining options: to rebuild the base in Bahrain, but also to reduce its presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and to move some bases and missions westward—outside the range of Iranian missiles and drones.
Among the measures under consideration are not rebuilding the most heavily damaged facilities, moving command posts underground, and dispersing military capabilities across the region. Notably, in April, the Trump administration began putting pressure on satellite imagery providers, limiting access to images showing the real damage at US bases. Officials say this is necessary to protect troops, but critics see it as an attempt to conceal the scale of losses.
The Pentagon refuses to name the exact amount spent on the war, a stance that is drawing dissatisfaction in Congress. When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked for a cost estimate, he answered with a question: “How much does it cost to have Iran’s nuclear weapons?” Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst recently acknowledged that the previous figure of $29 billion did not include damage to bases.
In a report dated June 25, the CSIS think tank estimated the total cost of the war at about $40 billion, of which $2.2 billion to $5.1 billion is for the destruction of US military facilities. An independent WSJ assessment based on satellite images and video found that even the construction of buildings only at the US ANB base in Bahrain cost roughly $400 million. The newspaper emphasizes that this is only the cost of building—without accounting for debris clearance and reinforcing structures.
Comments on the news
What specific types of Iranian missiles and drones were used to strike the base in Bahrain, and what were their characteristics that allowed them to get through the air defense system? — During the attack, cruise missiles “Hazar” (range up to 1,300 km) and loitering munitions “Shahed-136” were used. The characteristics that allowed them to overcome air defenses included low-profile flight at an altitude of 50–100 meters, the use of decoys and drone swarms to overload radars, as well as the low observability of the body made from composite materials.
Why is Bahrain a key location for hosting a US naval base (including the ANB base), and what role does the country play in the United States’ regional strategy? — Bahrain is the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet and the location of the ANB “Millibrook Creek” base. This allows control of the Strait of Hormuz (20% of the world’s oil) and conducting signals intelligence in the south of Iran. Bahrain also serves as a logistics hub for operations in the Persian Gulf and ensures US presence close to Iranian missile launch sites.
What are Iran’s official goals and demands in this conflict—did it say that strikes on the base in Bahrain were part of a specific military campaign? — Iran did not officially announce a campaign, but stated that the strikes were a “preemptive response” to the inevitable aggression by the US and Israel. The targets were aimed at neutralizing threats from bases from which, according to Tehran, attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities were planned. The demands include withdrawing US forces from the region and ending sanctions.
What events directly led to the start of the US-Iranian war against Iran on February 28? Was it a preemptive action or a response to provocation? — On February 28, the conflict began with a large-scale Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus (12 killed, including the commander of “Quds”). The US presented it as a “preemptive action” against Iran’s plans to attack American forces in the region. Iran considers it direct provocation that crossed all “red lines.”
Full version: The Wall Street Journal: Iran caused extensive damage to a US base in Bahrain