Key facts
- The US is considering relocating some of its Gulf bases to Israel after they were attacked by Iran.
- The US Navy base in Bahrain sustained extensive damage, including to command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings.
- Officials suggest Israel could be a new site for bases following Iran's retaliatory strikes.
- The Pentagon has not acknowledged the extent of the destruction at the Bahrain base.
- A poll indicates 60 percent of American voters believe US military action against Iran was 'not worth it'.
- US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated a war on Iran on February 28.
The US is reportedly considering relocating some of its military bases in the Gulf to Israel following retaliatory strikes by Iran earlier this year. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US Navy base in Bahrain sustained extensive damage, including to its command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings, a fact not publicly disclosed by the Pentagon. Officials cited in the report suggest that Israel could serve as a new site for these bases, while the US may also wind down its presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
These considerations come after the US and Israel began a war on Iran on February 28, with Iran launching retaliatory strikes on Gulf targets. The US Navy base in Bahrain was reportedly targeted repeatedly between late February and June. Public sentiment in the US appears to have shifted following the signing of a 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran to end hostilities while permanent terms are negotiated. A Quinnipac University poll found that 60 percent of American voters believe the US military action against Iran was 'not worth it', and 61 percent believe Iran is likely to develop nuclear weapons, a sentiment shared by a majority of both Democrats and Republicans.