As Iran Threatens Retaliation, Spotlight Turns To US 5th Fleet Base In Bahrain

The United States has formally entered Israel's war with Iran, escalating an already volatile regional conflict. On Sunday, President Donald Trump ordered precision airstrikes on three of Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The strikes were the most direct American military action against Tehran in decades and follow Israel's June 13 offensive targeting Iranian military infrastructure.

While the strikes dealt a major blow to Iran's nuclear capabilities, Tehran remains capable of inflicting serious damage. In a stark warning, Iranian officials declared that US involvement risks causing "irreparable damage" and could trigger an "all-out war" across the region, as reported by the BBC.

Iran has since vowed retaliation, specifically threatening US military assets stationed across at least 19 locations in the Middle East.

These include critical American bases in Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Among the most vulnerable is the US Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters at Mina Salman in Bahrain, a strategic command centre now squarely in Iran's sights.

What Is the US Navy's 5th Fleet?

The US Navy's 5th Fleet is the command hub of American naval operations in the Middle East. Headquartered at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, located at Mina Salman Port in Manama, it commands US naval operations across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

This 4 million square kilometre region includes vital maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain hosts US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and serves as a key centre for command-and-control, logistics, communications, and coordination with allies.

The fleet's core mission is to ensure freedom of navigation and regional security through anti-piracy patrols, tanker escorts, smuggling interdiction, and rapid threat response.

History

The US 5th Fleet was originally established on April 26, 1944, during World War II under the command of Admiral Raymond Spruance. It played a major role in major Pacific campaigns, including the battles of Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Philippine Sea. At its peak, the fleet was the largest combat force in the world, comprising 535 warships. Following the end of the war, the fleet was deactivated in 1947. However, after a 48-year hiatus, it was reactivated in 1995 to provide a permanent US naval command structure in the Middle East in the aftermath of the Gulf War, replacing the previous Middle East Force command.

Force Composition

Its core assets include Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) or Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG), supported by destroyers, frigates, submarines, patrol vessels, and logistics ships. At any given time, the fleet comprises around 15,000 personnel at sea and over 1,000 support staff ashore at NSA Bahrain.