Where are the US and UK navy bases within the Middle East as Iran launches retaliatory strikes? | EUROtoday

Iran has struck a number of targets throughout the Gulf in retaliation in opposition to a joint US-Israeli bombing marketing campaign, plunging the Middle East into chaos.

Tehran stated it will goal US bases within the Middle East after Washington and Israel launched strikes in direction of Iran on Saturday. US President Donald Trump accused Tehran of waging an “unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States”.

Blasts have since been reported in Jerusalem, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha in Qatar, and Manama in Bahrain on the third day of a battle that has plunged the area into chaos, impacting key regional aviation and commerce hubs.

Click right here to remain updated with the newest on the Middle East battle.

Both the UK and the US have lengthy had navy bases in quite a few nations throughout the Middle East.

An Iranian drone struck a US navy base in Bahrain at round 7:30pm GMT (10:30pm native time) on Sunday, inflicting a significant fireplace. It struck close to an adjoining UK naval facility, however there have been no casualties as the world had beforehand been evacuated.

Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly ⁠shot down three US F15 ⁠fighter ​jets ⁠flying ⁠in Iran-related operations, ​the ⁠US ‌navy stated on Monday. ‌All six ‌aircrew ejected safely, ⁠have been safely recovered, and are in ‌steady situation, it ​stated.

Meanwhile, the Cypriot authorities stated on Monday that two unmanned drones heading in direction of the UK’s Akrotiri air base in Cyprus had been intercepted.

Can Iran’s missiles attain US bases?

Iran has used ballistic missiles and drones to launch large-scale assaults on US allies and property throughout the Gulf, which have a self-imposed vary of two,000 km (1,240 miles). It has the biggest stockpile of ballistic missiles within the Middle East, in accordance with the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Even Iran’s short-range missiles can attain 435 miles, which might put a number of US navy bases inside attain, in accordance with estimates by the CSIS Missile Defense Project in The New York Times.

These embody bases and navy websites in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Oman and the UAE – all of that are susceptible to Iranian retaliation with short-range weapons.

In the broader area, the US operates a broad community of web sites throughout at the least 19 areas, in accordance with the Council on Foreign Relations.

Eight are everlasting, together with in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Tens of 1000’s of US troops are stationed throughout the Middle East, in Arab Gulf nations simply throughout the Persian Gulf from Iran – and far nearer than Israel.

Those bases boast the identical sorts of refined air defences as Israel, however would have a lot much less warning time earlier than waves of missiles or swarms of armed drones reached them. And even Israel, which is a number of hundred kilometres additional away, has been unable to cease the entire incoming fireplace.

General Sir Richard Barrons, a former senior UK navy officer, instructed Sky News that Iran was restricted in choices for manoeuvre, not least as a result of it has misplaced many high leaders previously couple of days.

Movements to fireplace missiles might expose the launch web site to American and Israeli assaults from the air, giving Iran’s missile launchers a brief life expectancy.

US officers have stated previously that Iran has depleted its medium-range stockpile, with few remaining, however it nonetheless maintains ample short-range capabilities.

Where are US and UK bases situated?

Bahrain

Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain) is residence to the US Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet.

The deep-water port can maintain America’s largest navy vessels together with plane carriers. Four anti-mine vessels, two logistical assist ships and a number of other US Coast Guard vessels have a house port in Bahrain.

Britain’s Royal Navy opened and operated the port through the Nineteen Twenties, and the primary US navy presence was established once they joined the Second World War. After the warfare it was recognised as a US Navy web site.

Iraq

The US has numerous navy bases in Iraq, together with two air fields – the Al-Harir and Al Asad air bases – and dozens of camps and outposts. These bases have been repeatedly focused by pro-Iran militant teams after Israel’s invasion of Gaza in October 2023.

At the peak of the US occupation of the nation from 2003 till 2011, there have been reportedly 170,000 US personnel stationed in 505 bases throughout the nation.

In January 2024, the Iraqi authorities requested a begin to negotiations on ending the US navy presence in Iraq, as regional tensions grew as a result of state of affairs in Gaza. As of 29 January that yr, the UK Ministry of Defence stated 200 service personnel have been deployed on operations there. The British Army is concerned in coaching and supporting Iraqi and Kurdish safety forces; they don’t seem to be working in a fight function.

Kuwait

Kuwait performs host to a number of US installations, together with two air bases, alongside numerous different outposts.

Ali Al Salem Air Base is residence to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, one of many principal hubs for delivering fight assist within the area. The RAF has beforehand used the Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Qatar

Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base is the biggest of its sort within the area, in accordance with Reuters. It consists of parts of Central Command (Centcom), and parts of its air forces and particular operations forces within the Middle East.

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which incorporates “airlift, aerial refueling intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation assets,” AFP stories.

Al Udeid Air Base, which is situated within the desert exterior the capital Doha, hosts round 10,000 US troops. It serves because the ahead headquarters for US Central Command, which directs American navy operations throughout an unlimited space stretching from Egypt within the west to Kazakhstan within the east.

Saudi Arabia

The Prince Sultan Air Base is a significant web site that hosted a big US presence throughout its warfare in Iraq, and from which the US air power nonetheless operates.

Elsewhere, the Eskan Village close to Riyadh serves as a housing facility for US navy personnel, largely those that are below coaching.

RAF personnel have been hooked up to the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) for a few years; as of April 2019 there have been 66 navy workers primarily based in Saudi Arabia and 35 primarily based within the UK with MODSAP.

United Arab Emirates

Al Dhafra Air Base is residence to the US 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, which has 10 plane squadrons and holds MQ-9 Reaper drones.

The base additionally hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Centre for air and missile defence coaching.

The RAF operates from Al Minhad Air Base, introduced as a brand new everlasting UK navy facility in March 2024.

Jordan

The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan was allotted $143m for upgrades and growth in 2018.

It hosts navy companions together with Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with two runways virtually 10,000 ft lengthy.

Oman

Oman has been a “strategic hub” for the UK Ministry of Defence, after the Royal Navy opened a joint logistics assist base at Duqm port. The ministry has stated Duqm provides the UK “a strategically important and permanent maritime base east of Suez, but outside of the Gulf”.

Cyprus

The UK has two Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus: Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

RAF Akrotiri is the principle working base within the area, residence to quick jet fight plane, air-to-air refuelling, air mobility, air transport, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance plane.