Acting Navy Secretary Confirms Iran Damaged US Base in Bahrain on September 11

Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged on September 11 that Iranian forces have inflicted severe damage on Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the headquarters for US Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet. The base sustained heavy damage during repeated Iranian strikes between February and June following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February. Cao told The Epoch Times the Navy is weighing whether to repair the facility or relocate operations.

What damage did Iran inflict on the Bahrain base

Iranian strikes between February and June caused extensive damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, according to satellite imagery and open-source analysis reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The base, which serves as the Navy’s main logistics hub in the Middle East, was repeatedly targeted after the US and Israel launched airstrikes across Iran on February 28. Cao’s public statement represents a rare high-level acknowledgment of the conflict’s toll on the facility.

Navy weighing repair versus relocation

Cao told The Epoch Times that the Navy has established a task force to evaluate what to do with the base, including whether repairs are necessary. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle told sailors displaced from the base, “We’re not getting back in there anytime soon.” The damage left the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln without a port to pull into, complicating ongoing naval operations in the region.

Iran frames strikes as retaliation

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Cao’s admission by stating that Iran’s armed forces deliberately targeted the Fifth Fleet headquarters and other bases supporting US military operations. Araghchi wrote on X that he appreciated Cao’s “candor” in acknowledging the damage. Iranian strikes also damaged multiple US military aircraft at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Tuesday, according to US officials.

Broader questions about US military posture in the Gulf

The damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain raises questions about whether US bases across the Middle East can sustain ongoing operations amid escalating tensions. The base has served as the Navy’s primary logistics and command center in the region for decades. The six-month conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has forced military planners to reconsider the viability of maintaining forward-deployed forces in the Persian Gulf.

Final Thoughts

The Navy’s public acknowledgment of severe damage to its Fifth Fleet headquarters signals a potential shift in US military strategy in the Middle East. With repair timelines uncertain and operations disrupted, the decision on Naval Support Activity Bahrain will reshape regional naval capabilities for months ahead.

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