Tehran, Iran. Israel and the United States launched a coordinated attack on Iran on Saturday, intensifying military confrontation in the Middle East. An Iranian official warned that all U.S. bases and interests were within Iran’s reach.
Bahrain
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, whose area of responsibility spans the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Qatar
The 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert outside the capital Doha, serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command, which directs American military operations across territory stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. The Middle East’s largest U.S. base houses around 10,000 troops.
Kuwait
Kuwait hosts several U.S. military installations, including Camp Arifjan, the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central, and Ali Al Salem Air Base, roughly 40 km from the Iraqi border and known as “The Rock” because of its isolated, rugged environment. Camp Buehring, established during the 2003 Iraq War, serves as a staging post for U.S. Army units deploying into Iraq and Syria, according to the U.S. Army website.
United Arab Emirates
Al Dhafra Air Base, situated south of the capital Abu Dhabi and shared with the UAE Air Force, is a U.S. Air Force hub that has supported missions against the Islamic State and reconnaissance deployments across the region, according to U.S. Air Force Central Command. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, while not a formal military base, is the U.S. Navy’s largest port of call in the Middle East, regularly hosting aircraft carriers and other vessels.
Iraq
The U.S. maintains a presence at Ain Al Asad Air Base in western Anbar province, supporting Iraqi security forces and contributing to the NATO mission, according to the White House. Iranian missile strikes targeted the base in 2020 in retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Erbil Air Base, situated in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq, serves as a hub for U.S. and coalition forces conducting training exercises, intelligence sharing and logistical coordination, according to a congressional report.
Saudi Arabia
U.S. soldiers in Saudi Arabia, numbering 2,321 in 2024 according to a White House letter, operate in coordination with the Saudi government, providing air and missile defence capabilities and supporting the operation of U.S. military aircraft. Some are stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base, roughly 60 km south of Riyadh, which supports Patriot missile batteries and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems.
Jordan
Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base, located in Azraq some 100 km northeast of the capital Amman, hosts the U.S. Air Forces Central’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, which conducts missions across the Levant, according to a 2024 report in the Library of Congress.
Which of these U.S. facilities do you think could be most affected by rising regional tensions?
