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One option is to establish a new base in the Negev big enough to hold the American army’s forces, or to expand one of the Negev’s air force bases and allocate an American compound there.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is considering moving its military bases’ operational systems in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to Israel in order to increase their distance from further Iranian missile and drone attacks, The Wall Street Journal reported last Thursday.

The US Navy may revamp its base in Bahrain, which has suffered severe damage since late February up until the recent US-Iran ceasefire. Bahrain has been home to the US Navy’s central forces in the Middle East for over 50 years.

One option is to establish a new base in the Negev big enough to hold the American army’s forces, or to expand one of the Negev’s air force bases and allocate an American compound there.

The US Department of Defense and the US Army also plan to renew their supply contracts with the Ministry of Defense and the IDF until 2030, and possibly further.

This idea for relocation follows Iran’s extensive damage to at least 20 US sites across the Middle East since the onset of the war, especially NSA Bahrain.

A screengrab from a video released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which accompanied a press release describing the operation dubbed ''Epic Fury'', an attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, shows a flight deck crew member signaling an F‑35 jet on an aircraft carrier

The US Army is hoping for less vulnerability in Gulf countries

It would take an estimated $400 million to rebuild what Iran destroyed at NSA Bahrain, excluding costs of debris removal, the rebuilding of two AN/GSC-52B satellite communication terminals and a communications management facility, and other relevant costs.

It is possible that destroyed structures will not be revamped, and command and control nodes may have to be moved underground.

Back in May, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated the US military is not well enough protected in the Middle East.

“America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief and the establishment of military bases in the region,” Khamenei posted on his Twitter/X account.

The Pentagon has yet to publicly acknowledge the extent of the damage that Iran inflicted on their naval base in Bahrain. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said that the US military struck Iran harder than Iran hit it.

“Centcom rightfully prioritized the protection of people over buildings, and our strategy of protecting people worked,” Hawkins told The Wall Street Journal. “Iran shot more than 8,000 missiles and drones, and only two hits resulted in US fatalities.”

The extensive damage “has the US re-evaluating its entire footprint in the region,” US officials told The Wall Street Journal.

Retired Navy V.-Adm. Kevin Donegan, a US Navy Commander in the Middle East, expects the US does not want to completely remove its presence in Bahrain, given their strong alliance.

Some of Israel’s security officials approve the establishment of American bases in Israel. “A permanent American presence in Israel will require an air defense envelope, and beyond that, it will strengthen the long-term relationship between the militaries and the administrations on the strategic level,” a security source told Walla.

No final decisions have been announced by the US yet.

Moving forces further west offers US more access to future of Middle East

A long-term American presence in Israel gives the US better access to the US Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) at Kiryat Gat, and it can better monitor the ongoing operations in Gaza and the Middle East region.

Meanwhile, in his next visit to Israel later this week, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper plans to negotiate the Lebanon ceasefire terms and further define the withdrawal lines of the IDF from southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah want withdrawals that are less modest than those the IDF is offering.

USAF presence in Israel has made things harder for Israel

Israel has already made room for America since the onset of the 2026 Iran war. Ben-Gurion Airport hosted USAF refueling aircraft over the course of the war, which interfered with the flexibility of Israel’s airspace and airport operations.

Not all officials received US military presence in Israel with open arms. Civil Aviation Authority head Shmuel Zakai once called Ben-Gurion a “US military base,” given its constant presence of American planes.

US Air Force presence has also caused the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) to lose NIS 700 million, said National Security Council director Shmuel Ben-Ezra.

In response to the constraints on airport capacity, Maariv said USAF aircraft will be relocated from Ben-Gurion to Israel Air Force bases. Those IAF bases’ troops will move to other bases around Israel.

89green:
centcom iran shock them

Iran show usa real pepper no be small chai
CENT-COM is now CENT-GO

NtoAkwaIbom:
if ei easy, go run am... country under 25 yrs sanction pursue America... omohhh

WriteerNg:
Ballistic missile no be your mate? Just 36 days war oh.

Imagine say Iran hammer America troops for a whole year, by now Americans go don flood street dey protest. After bodybags don dey surplus.

Willie2015:
US is just showing restraint.

If US retaliate with the same 8000 ballistic missiles...

And Isreal also fired 8000 ballistic missiles... thats 16000

I simply wonder what/who will remain in Iran by now....

Ebenezer2021:
I hope you and your Muslim terrorists will not cry genocide when US fights back

Willie2015:
US is just showing restraint.

If US retaliate with the same 8000 ballistic missiles...

And Isreal also fired 8000 ballistic missiles... thats 16000

I simply wonder what/who will remain in Iran by now....