From Qatar to Bahrain, mapping US military presence in Middle East as US enters Israel-Iran conflict

The Print

4 hours ago

Fox News reported that Trump had spoken privately to its news presenter Sean Hannity, telling him that the US had 'completely obliterated' Iran's Fordow nuclear facility using six bunker-buster bombs dropped from three B-2 stealth bombers. Hannity further said that according to the president, the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites were 'wiped out' by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from US submarines stationed approximately 400 miles (643 km) away.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes in a series of posts on Truth Social, shortly before addressing the nation from the White House. He said that the operation targeted Iran's nuclear complexes at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, describing it as a 'spectacular success' and warning that further action could follow, if Iran did not pursue peace.
New Delhi: The United States carried out coordinated air and missile strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions and signalling Washington's direct entry into the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
The Iranian government strongly condemned the strikes at the nuclear facilities, with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi describing the attack as 'dangerous, lawless and criminal', and saying that Iran reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and interests. 'The events this morning are outrageous and will have lasting consequences,' Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned Wednesday that US military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would trigger 'irreparable' consequences. Following Sunday's strikes, Iranian state television aired a regional map highlighting American military bases in the Middle East, accompanied by the message, 'Mr. Trump, you started it, and we will end it.'
JUST IN: Iranian state television displays a graphic of U.S. bases in the Middle East titled: "Within the fire range of Iran."
"Mr. Trump, you started it, and we will end it." pic.twitter.com/8eculMnwAG
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 22, 2025
As the possibility of Iranian retaliation and a deepening US role in the rapidly worsening conflict looms, ThePrint maps the extensive network of US military bases and assets across the region and their positioning in the unfolding conflict.
Also Read: Why Fordow, Natanz & Isfahan facilities struck by US are critical to Iran's nuclear ambitions
19 military bases
In the latest available estimate, a US defence official told American think tank Council on Foreign Relations that as of June 2025, approximately 40,000 American soldiers were deployed across the Middle East, many of them aboard naval vessels operating under US Central Command (CENTCOM)—a significant reduction from the height of US military involvement in the region, when troop levels peaked at 160,000 in Iraq in 2007, and 100,000 in Afghanistan in 2011.
The US currently maintains military facilities at no fewer than 19 sites across the Middle East, with at least eight reported to be permanent. These installations span countries, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
While most fall under the jurisdiction of CENTCOM, key bases in Djibouti and Turkey, though part of separate regional commands, frequently support American military operations in the Middle East.
All of these host countries mentioned above have formal basing agreements with the US, with the exception of Syria, where US deployments had long been opposed by the Bashar Assad government. However, in May 2025, diplomatic ties between the two countries began to thaw, after Trump announced plans to lift sanctions and move toward normalising relations.
Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
At the forefront of the US military footprint in the Middle East is Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha in Qatar. This base is widely considered the largest US military installation in the region, in terms of both personnel and operational capability.
The base hosts an estimated 10,000 American troops and supports more than 100 aircraft, including surveillance drones, aerial refuelling tankers and strategic bombers. It also serves as the forward headquarters for CENTCOM and Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), enabling the coordination of air and support operations across Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Al Udeid's runway reportedly can accommodate the US military's largest aircraft, including B-52 bombers and C-17 Globemasters, giving it immense strategic value for long-range strike and logistical missions. Recent satellite imagery showed a sharp drop in the number of visible aircraft at this base, suggesting a repositioning of key assets amid heightened regional tensions.
Furthermore on Thursday, the US Embassy in Qatar issued a security alert, temporarily restricting its personnel from accessing the Al Udeid Air Base. The advisory urged heightened vigilance among embassy staff and US nationals in the country, citing 'an abundance of caution' amid escalating regional tensions.
Naval Support Activity, Bahrain
In Bahrain, the US Navy operates its regional maritime command out of Naval Support Activity (NSA) in the capital city of Manama. Built on the grounds of the former British naval facility HMS Jufair, the base now serves as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet.
It is reported to support between 8,000 and 9,000 military and civilian personnel, and provides command and logistical support for US naval operations spanning the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea, critical waterways for global energy flows, and maritime trade. From this command, carrier strike groups, submarines, destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft are coordinated to ensure sea lane security and maintain a steady deterrent posture in a volatile maritime environment.
Currently, several US Navy ships are homeported there, including four mine countermeasure vessels and two logistical support ships. The US Coast Guard also maintains a presence, reportedly operating six fast response cutters out of Bahrain.
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
To the north, Camp Arifjan in Kuwait serves as the US Army's principal logistics and sustainment hub in the region. Located approximately 55 kilometers southeast of Kuwait City, the base was established in the wake of the Gulf War and has evolved into a central transit and support point for US forces moving through the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
The base plays a key role in warehousing prepositioned military equipment, including armored vehicles and missile defence systems, while also supporting command-and-control, intelligence and cyber operations that underpin the US Army's regional footprint.
Al Asad Air Base, Iraq
In western Iraq's Anbar province, Al Asad Air Base is one of the largest and most fortified American military installations in the region. Originally built by Saddam Hussein in the 1980s and captured by US forces in 2003, the base features two 13,000-foot runways capable of handling heavy-lift aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III and C-5M Super Galaxy.
At its peak during the Iraq War, Al Asad supported over 20,000 US and coalition troops, with full-scale infrastructure, including hardened aircraft shelters, radar facilities, drone launch sites and logistics compounds. Today, it hosts a smaller contingent of US and Iraqi forces operating under a joint command, primarily focused on intelligence-sharing, quick-reaction forces and counter-ISIS surveillance missions.
Erbil Air Base, Iraq
Further north, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the Erbil Air Base serves as a forward operating location for US special operations forces and counter-terrorism missions. Although smaller in scale than Iraq's Al Asad Air Base, Erbil has grown in operational importance due to its proximity to northeastern Syria and its role in coordinating with the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Security Forces.
This base has been critical in advisory, intelligence and quick-reaction missions, particularly in targeting the remnants of the Islamic State, and monitoring Iran-backed militia activity along the Syria-Iraq corridor.
Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, the US maintains a strategically important presence at Al Dhafra Air Base, located just south of Abu Dhabi. While smaller than Al Udeid in Qatar, Al Dhafra is reported to host some of the most advanced US air assets, including F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, E-3 AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), KC-10 aerial refueling tankers and MQ-9B Reaper drones.
The base is essential to the US military's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) network, and also serves as a launch point for rapid strike missions across the Gulf, Iraq And Syria.
Given its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, Al Dhafra is further viewed as a frontline asset in any potential escalation involving Iran, and the US has made substantial investments in hardening its infrastructure there.
Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
Outside US Central Command's area of responsibility and operating under US European Command (EUCOM), Incirlik Air Base in Turkey also remains a strategically vital outpost. Located near the city of Adana, just 70 kilometers from the Syrian border, the base offers rapid access to conflict zones in Syria and Iraq, areas where Iranian-backed militias and proxy groups maintain a significant footprint.
Incirlik has historically supported both US and NATO operations across the region and is widely reported to house up to 50 B61 tactical nuclear bombs under NATO's nuclear-sharing arrangement.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: What is Strait of Hormuz & why its closure by Iran could disrupt global energy trade