Iran-Israel Conflict: From Qatar To Bahrain | US Military Across Nations In West Asia | Outlook India

Marking a major escalation in the ongoing turmoil in West Asia, the United States on Sunday, June 22, ensured its official entry into the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict by carrying out coordinated air and missile strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan.

Quoting officials, CNN reported that the United States used six B-2 bombers to drop a dozen bunker buster bombs on the Fordow nuclear site in Iran while the Navy submarines fired 30 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) missiles at two other sites, Natanz and Isfahan.

Confirming the strikes, US President Donald Trump came up with a series of posts on Truth Social, shortly before addressing the nation from the White House. "We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran's airspace," he wrote on Truth Social.

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Key US Bases In The Middle East

According to the American think tank , as of June 2025, approximately 40,000 American soldiers are deployed across West Asia. However, this is considered a significant reduction from the height of US military deployment in the region, when 160,000 soldiers were stationed in Iraq in 2007, and 100,000 in Afghanistan in 2011.

Reports also suggest that the US currently maintains military facilities at around 19 sites across Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

Here we have an account of the key US military bases across West Asia.

Bahrain

According to a report by The Times of Israel, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and US Naval Forces Central Command are headquartered in Bahrain, a tiny Gulf kingdom that the US considers a critical asset in the Persian Gulf. Since 1948, the base has been used by the US Navy, when the facility was operated by Britain's Royal Navy.

As per reports, the deep-water port is capable of docking some of the largest US military vessels, including aircraft carriers.

The port also contains America's four anti-mine vessels and two logistical support ships, while the US Coast Guard also has vessels in the country, according to The Times OF Israel report.

Qatar

Qatar is home to Al Udeid Air Base, which is the largest US military base in West Asia.

As per reports, the base serves as the shelter to the forward components of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), as well as its air forces and special operation forces in the region.

It also hosts America's rotating combat aircraft, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. 

Iraq

Iraq has several US troop installations, including the Al Asad Air Base in Al-Anbar Governorate and Al Harir Air Base in Erbil. What makes Baghdad even more crucial is the fact that it is not only Washington's close ally, but also Tehran's arch enemy in the region.

The Middle Eastern nation houses some 2,500 US troops as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group. 

Syria

The US, for several years, has maintained a strong military presence at various installations in Syria as part of international efforts against the Islamic State group.

The terror outfit stemmed from Syria's civil war and overran large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq for years.

America's Al Tanf Garrison is housed in southern Syria, near the borders of Iraq and Jordan. 

Kuwait

As per The Times of Israel report, Kuwait has several US bases, including Ali al-Salem Air Base. It also houses members of the Air Force's 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.

The base also serves as the "primary airlift hub and gateway for delivering combat power to joint and coalition forces" in the region, as per the report. 

Moreover, Kuwait also has Camp Arifjan, the location of the forward headquarters for the US Army component of CENTCOM. The US Army reportedly also stocks prepositioned materiel in the country.

UAE

America's Al Dhafra Air Base is located in the United Arab Emirates. The installation is home to the Air Force's 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, which operates F-22 Raptor fighter jets and several kinds of surveillance planes and drones, including MQ-9 Reapers.

Al Dhafra also hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Centre for air and missile defence training.