- Iran's missile and drone strikes targeted the US naval base in Bahrain multiple times
- The Naval Support Activity Bahrain hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and commands regional operations
- The attacks prompted the US to rethink base security and consider dispersing forces across sites
Iran's missile and drone attack on a major US naval base in Bahrain remains one of the biggest talking points despite delegations from Washington and Tehran making every possible effort to end the war.
The attack not only damaged an important American military base but also forced the US to rethink how to protect its forces in the Middle East.
The base, known as Naval Support Activity Bahrain, is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and acts as the command centre for American naval operations in the region. It is one of the most important US military bases outside America.
Between late February and June, Iran launched waves of missiles and drones at the base. Although many of the attacks were intercepted by air defence systems, some missiles got through and hit their targets.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the strikes damaged the base's main command headquarters, more than a dozen other buildings, and two satellite communication systems used by the US military. The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the full extent of the damage.
The US military said no one was killed at the base as it had moved most of the soldiers and staff to safer places before the attacks became more intense.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins, the military's main goal was to protect people, not buildings.
He said this strategy worked because, although Iran launched more than 8,000 missiles and drones, only two attacks resulted in US deaths across the conflict.
Hawkins also said the US caused much more damage to Iran than Tehran caused to Washington. According to him, American forces struck more than 13,500 targets inside Iran during the conflict.
The attack, though, shocked US officials because it showed that even one of America's most secure military bases was not completely safe. Iran was able to damage the base using missiles and drones that cost much less than the expensive American military systems they targeted. It showed that Iran's cheaper weapons can now cause serious damage to powerful countries' military bases.
The damage also forced US military officials to reconsider whether large, permanent bases close to Iran are still safe. Instead of keeping troops and equipment concentrated in a few locations, the US is now considering spreading forces across more bases. It is also trying to strengthen its air defences and improve protection against missile and drone attacks.
