DID Press: American media and research institutions report that the United States is reviewing plans to relocate parts of its military footprint in the Middle East further west, including toward Israel, following missile and drone attacks allegedly carried out by Iran on US bases across the Gulf region.
According to a report by the The Wall Street Journal, the strikes—said to have occurred after the start of a joint US-Israel operation against Iran on 28 February—targeted several American and allied military installations, exposing vulnerabilities in regional defense infrastructure.
The report claims that the attacks resulted in 13 military personnel killed and hundreds injured, although the US Department of Defense has not released an official casualty figure.
One of the most significant sites reportedly affected was the US Naval Support Facility in Manama, home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet. Sources cited in the report say the facility suffered damage to command buildings, barracks, warehouses, and water storage infrastructure, with estimated losses of around $400 million.
In response, Washington is said to be evaluating several options, including relocating command centers to underground facilities in Bahrain, reinforcing base fortifications, and potentially halting reconstruction of some damaged installations.
The United States is also reportedly reassessing its military posture in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, alongside discussions about transferring personnel and equipment further west.
Israel is mentioned among early-stage considerations in the restructuring plan, with reports suggesting that some US military aircraft have already been stationed at Ben Gurion Airport amid rising regional tensions.
Meanwhile, the American investment research group cited in the report estimates that Iranian strikes caused approximately $5 billion in damages across 70 buildings at 11 military bases in seven countries.
The institute warned that the scale of destruction and the growing threat of missile and drone attacks could force the United States to not only expand reconstruction efforts but also close or relocate vulnerable bases to more secure locations.