Iran Strikes Force US Troops Off Middle East Bases
Iranian strikes forced US troops to leave key Middle East bases and shift operations. Attacks damaged infrastructure and exposed military vulnerabilities.
Iranian strikes on U.S. military bases across the Middle East have forced American forces to abandon some facilities and shift part of their operations into a remote format, The New York Times reported, citing sources.
According to the publication, some personnel have been relocated to hotels and office buildings in various countries across the region. As a result, a significant portion of U.S. operations against Iran is now being conducted remotely, while pilots and fighter jet crews continue flying missions from bases that remain operational.
Sources told the newspaper that dispersing personnel in this way complicates combat coordination and reduces overall effectiveness. At the same time, Tehran has urged local residents to report new locations where American troops are stationed.
A retired U. S. Air Force special operations targeting specialist, Master Sergeant Wes J. Bryant, indicated that while improvised operational centers can be set up, they come with clear limitations and reduce combat capability, noting that certain equipment cannot be easily deployed or used in such conditions.
A U.S. military representative, however, stressed that American personnel are not operating from the rooftops of civilian hotels.
The sources also pointed to a broader issue: the U.S. military’s limited readiness for a large-scale Iranian response. Infrastructure built during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has proven vulnerable to missile and drone attacks.
Since the start of joint U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran, Tehran has carried out multiple strikes on American facilities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. These attacks have damaged communications systems, fuel infrastructure, and aircraft, with some bases rendered unsuitable for permanent deployment.