What’s Next After the US Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Sites?

News Desk

Islamabad: Following US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran has issued threats of retaliation, raising concerns that American military installations across the region could become potential targets. Below is an overview of significant US military facilities in the Middle East:

Bahrain

Home to the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which oversees operations in the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. Bahrain serves as a strategic maritime hub for the United States in the region.

Qatar

Al Udeid Air Base spans 24 hectares in the desert outside Doha and serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command (CENTCOM). It is the largest US base in the Middle East, hosting approximately 10,000 troops and supporting military operations across the region—from Egypt to Central Asia.

Kuwait

The country hosts several key US installations:

• Camp Arifjan – the forward headquarters of US Army Central.
• Ali Al Salem Air Base – located 40 km from the Iraqi border, known as “The Rock” for its rugged terrain.
• Camp Buehring – established during the 2003 Iraq War, this base supports troop deployments into Iraq and Syria.

United Arab Emirates

• Al Dhafra Air Base, located south of Abu Dhabi, is a major hub for the US Air Force, supporting reconnaissance missions and operations against terrorist groups such as ISIS.
• Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, while not an official military base, is the US Navy’s largest port of call in the region and regularly accommodates aircraft carriers and naval vessels.

Iraq

• Ain Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province supports Iraqi security forces and NATO missions. It was targeted by Iranian missile strikes in 2020 following the US assassination of General Qasem Soleimani.
• Erbil Air Base, located in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, functions as a hub for US and coalition training, intelligence, and logistics operations.

Saudi Arabia

Roughly 2,321 US personnel were stationed in Saudi Arabia as of 2024. Key facilities include:

• Prince Sultan Air Base, about 60 km south of Riyadh, where US forces maintain air and missile defense systems including Patriot missiles and THAAD.

Jordan

The Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base in Azraq, approximately 100 km northeast of Amman, hosts the US Air Force’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. It is instrumental in conducting regional air operations, especially in the Levant.

These facilities underscore the widespread and deeply entrenched presence of US military power across the Middle East, making them potential flashpoints in the event of Iranian retaliation.