All U.S. military bases in the Middle East: the places Iran can reach with its Fatah II ballistic missiles

The United States maintains a wide network of military bases across the Middle East, many of them well within range of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, including the Fattah II. As tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, Iranian officials have made it clear that any US military strike would be met with retaliation.

For the past two weeks, protests against Iran’s ruling regime have spread across the country. Human rights organizations say more than 2,000 people have been affected by the unrest. Against that backdrop, President Donald Trump has framed potential military action as a way to defend demonstrators facing repression in the streets.

Iran warns the U.S.

Iran, however, has issued blunt warnings. Defense Minister Aziz Nafizardeh, a brigadier general, said Iranian forces would target U.S. military bases in the region if Washington follows through on threats of military action against the Islamic Republic.

Below is a breakdown of the key U.S. military installations in the Middle East that could be at risk in the event of a direct confrontation.

Kuwait

Kuwait hosts several major U.S. military facilities, most notably Camp Arifjan. The base serves as the U.S. Army’s forward headquarters in the region and acts as a central operational and logistics hub for American forces across the Middle East. It also stores large reserves of military equipment.

The country is also home to Ali Al Salem Air Base, known among US personnel as “The Rock.” According to AFP, it is the primary airlift and transportation hub for deploying US combat power in the region.

Between these two bases, the United States has roughly 13,500 service members stationed in Kuwait, according to figures from the U.S. State Department.

Qatar

Al Udeid Air Base is one of the most strategically important US installations overseas. It serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command and oversees military operations across a vast area stretching from Egypt to Kazakhstan.

Iran has already demonstrated its willingness to target the base, launching an attack on Al Udeid in June 2025, a move that underscored how exposed key U.S. assets in the Gulf can be during periods of heightened tension.

Bahrain

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, with about 9,000 American military personnel deployed there. The fleet’s area of responsibility includes the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Several US naval vessels operate out of Bahrain, including four mine countermeasures ships and two logistics support ships, making the island a critical hub for U.S. naval operations in the region.

Iraq

Roughly 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, primarily stationed at Ain al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province in the country’s west. The base plays a key role in supporting Iraqi security forces and contributes to NATO’s advisory and training mission in the country.

U.S. positions in Iraq have repeatedly come under threat from Iran-backed militias in recent years, highlighting the fragile security environment.

United Arab Emirates

Al Dhafra Air Base, located south of Abu Dhabi, is another major US installation in the Gulf. The base supports intelligence gathering, reconnaissance missions and combat air operations, making it a vital asset for U.S. air power in the region.

Saudi Arabia

About 2,300 US troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia, many of them at Prince Sultan Air Base. The facility supports U.S. Army air defense assets and plays a central role in protecting both American and allied interests from aerial threats.

Jordan

Muwaffaq Salti Air Base hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. According to a 2024 report published by the Library of Congress, the unit conducts missions across the eastern Mediterranean and the broader Levant region.

Oman

The United States does not maintain a permanent military base in Oman, but its presence there is still significant. Washington has access to Omani military facilities under a bilateral agreement that allows the Pentagon to pre-position equipment and use Omani airfields and ports as needed.

As rhetoric hardens on both sides, the geographic spread of U.S. forces across the Middle East underscores how quickly a regional crisis could escalate, with American bases and personnel squarely in Iran’s sights.

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