Source: CNN
Subject: International Relations
Context: Iran has warned it will strike U.S. military bases in the Middle East if Washington intervenes in Iran’s internal unrest, after President Donald Trump publicly backed Iranian protesters.
About US regional bases in the Middle East:
What it is?
- The United States maintains a network of permanent and rotational military bases across the Middle East to secure oil routes, protect allies, counter terrorism, and deter Iran and other regional threats under the US Central Command (CENTCOM) framework.
Major US bases in the region
- Bahrain – Fifth Fleet Headquarters
- Hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which controls naval operations across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean, ensuring maritime security and oil flow.
- Qatar – Al Udeid Air Base
- The largest US base in the Middle East, serving as CENTCOM’s forward headquarters with around 10,000 troops, coordinating air, missile defence and regional military operations.
- Kuwait – Camp Arifjan & Ali Al Salem Air Base
- Camp Arifjan is the forward HQ of US Army Central, while Ali Al Salem is a key air logistics hub near the Iraq border, supporting deployments to Iraq and Syria.
- United Arab Emirates – Al Dhafra Air Base & Jebel Ali Port
- Al Dhafra supports US air operations, surveillance and anti-ISIS missions; Jebel Ali is the US Navy’s busiest port in the Middle East, hosting aircraft carriers and warships.
- Iraq – Ain Al Asad & Erbil Air Base
- Ain Al Asad supports Iraqi and NATO missions and was hit by Iranian missiles in 2020; Erbil is a key logistics, intelligence and training hub in northern Iraq.
- Saudi Arabia – Prince Sultan Air Base
- Hosts US air defence systems such as Patriot and THAAD to protect the Kingdom and regional US assets from missile attacks.
- Jordan – Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base
- Base of the US 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, supporting air operations across Syria, Iraq and the Levant.
- Turkey – Incirlik Air Base
- Jointly run by the US and Turkey, it hosts US nuclear weapons and supports NATO and anti-ISIS operations in West Asia.
