From late February to June, the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain was repeatedly attacked by Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. An article published by The Wall Street Journal on June 26 revealed that through analysis of satellite images, videos from social media platforms, and interviews with active and retired military personnel, it was concluded that Iranian attacks had caused severe damage to the Bahrain base. The command headquarters, at least a dozen other buildings, and two satellite communication terminals were severely damaged. However, the Pentagon has not yet acknowledged these damages publicly.
For over thirty years, the “Naval Support Activity Bahrain” has been a key component of the United States naval forces in the Middle East. Located less than 150 miles (about 241 kilometers) from the southern coast of Iran, this base allows for the docking of various vessels belonging to the U.S. Navy fleet.
Clandestine U.S. officials revealed that the only naval base in the Middle East has been severely damaged, and with at least 20 American installations in the region also being attacked, the U.S. is reevaluating its overall deployment in the Middle East. The U.S. currently plans to modernize the Bahrain base, reduce its military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and relocate some bases or their functions westward, away from the range of Iranian missiles and drones.
The US military stated that despite the attack, no one was killed at the Bahrain base, and the attack did not have a significant impact on military operations. The United States withdrew most of its personnel and retained only a small number of staff members on the ground.
The Bahrain Navy support facilities suffered some damage. Photo by The Wall Street Journal
American Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins stated that during this war, the Central Command protected personnel in fortified buildings, and this strategy proved effective. Iran launched over 8,000 missiles and drones, with only two hits resulting in the death of American personnel. Hawkins also noted that the United States caused far more damage to Iran than it received, targeting more than 13,500 targets.
The building that was attacked may not be rebuilt. The command and control nodes may be moved underground. These officials stated that military capabilities might be more dispersed in the area, but they also noted that no decisions have been made yet.
According to two of the officials, Israel is one of the potential locations for the base. During the war, the country stored dozens of American military aircraft, including jet fighters and aerial refueling aircraft.
It is worth mentioning that in April, the U.S. government pressured commercial satellite image providers to restrict access to images showing damage at U.S. bases and other conflict zones. This makes it difficult for the outside world to see the full extent of the destruction. Officials stated that this measure will help protect the U.S. military.
Pentagon officials refused to discuss the costs incurred by the United States with Congress. Pentagon Audit Chief Jay Hurst told Congress last month that the $29 billion war costs estimated by the department did not include the damage to U.S. bases.
A report released by the Washington think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) this week estimates that the total cost of this war is approximately $40 billion. The estimate includes their calculations of the damage to U.S. bases, which range between $2.2 billion and $5.1 billion, based on buildings identified by CSIS as damaged.
The Wall Street Journal used satellite images and social media videos to identify the damaged buildings at the Bahrain base. In order to estimate the cost of building similar structures today, the Wall Street Journal examined public Defense Department cost models and procurement reports. These estimates only cover construction costs and do not include other expenses that may be incurred in rebuilding these buildings, such as debris removal and reinforcement costs.
The attacks in Iran also caused severe structural damage to the Ali Salim Air Base in Kuwait and the Zabeel Air Base in the UAE. At the Sultan bin Salman Air Base in Saudi Arabia, an E-3 “Sentinel” aircraft of the air force was also destroyed. Photo by The Wall Street Journal
The estimated construction cost for the Bahrain Navy support facilities is approximately $400 million.
The Bahrain Navy support facilities consist of three main areas: a waterside area centered around ship docking and operations, a main base adjacent to the waterside area with administrative and command buildings, and a warehouse and associated structures leased by the US Navy. Iran's strikes covered all of these areas.
Among them, some facilities of the Fifth Fleet Command responsible for the U.S. Navy’s operations in the Middle East were damaged. According to an American official, these buildings can no longer be used, with an estimated construction cost of about $200 million. The Naval Security Forces Training Facility located not far northwest was also destroyed. This unit is responsible for base security and regular emergency preparedness drills. The estimated construction cost for this facility is about $1 million.
In less than 400 meters east of the base, an emergency storage facility used to park ambulances was damaged. The estimated construction cost is approximately $14 million. In the waterfront area, a drinking water storage tank and its adjacent storage facility were also damaged. The estimated construction cost is approximately $41 million.
Additionally, the main dining hall located less than 91 meters to the southeast and a barracks that can accommodate about 450 people were damaged. The estimated construction cost was approximately $24 million.
On the other side of the base, there is another auxiliary storage facility operated by the Banz Group in Bahrain, which is leased by the U.S. Navy. One of the warehouse complexes has three areas that are severely damaged, with an estimated construction cost of about $34 million. The U.S. Navy’s 59th Special Task Force—the first unit dedicated to drones and artificial intelligence within the Navy—has been deploying and storing drones in this facility. This unit was established in 2021 and is responsible for using drones and artificial intelligence systems to monitor key waterways in the Middle East.
In addition, at least three adjacent warehouses were damaged to varying degrees. The estimated cost of repairing them amounts to approximately $75 million.
Retired Marine Corps Colonel and CSIS Senior Advisor Mark Cancian said that construction costs may be a small portion of the total expenses, depending on the items inside the building.
In the first few hours of Iran's retaliatory attacks, two AN/GSC-52B satellite communication terminals and a communication management facility were destroyed. According to CSIS data, these devices, which support nearly real-time military communications, cost about $20 million each.
The co-chair of the bipartisan committee "Naval Future National Commission" established by the U.S. Congress, Mackenzie Eaglen, admitted that the damage to the entire base "exposed comprehensive weaknesses and vulnerabilities."
Text: Liu Chenghui Editor: Tang Chuanfeng Reviewer: Guo Guanghao
