Tensions in West Asia deepened on Saturday after joint strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran reportedly triggered retaliatory threats and missile activity targeting American military installations across the region.
Emergency sirens were heard near a US military base in Qatar, while explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. In Bahrain, authorities stated that the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet was targeted in a missile attack. The base plays a critical role in overseeing naval operations across the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Airspace has been shut in several countries amid fears that the conflict could widen. Analysts warn that US and Israeli military bases remain the most likely targets in any Iranian retaliation.
In Qatar, the Al Udeid Air Base — the largest US military installation in the Middle East — serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command and houses around 10,000 troops. The base had previously faced Iranian missile attacks during earlier regional escalations.
Kuwait hosts multiple US facilities, including Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Buehring, which function as strategic hubs for American operations in Iraq and Syria.
In the United Arab Emirates, Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi supports US reconnaissance and counterterrorism missions. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, while not a formal base, is the US Navy’s largest port of call in the region.
Iraq also houses key American installations such as Ain Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province and Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan region. Ain Al Asad was previously targeted in 2020 following the US killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Saudi Arabia and Jordan also host US forces. Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh supports missile defence systems, while Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base in Jordan’s Azraq region operates as a hub for US air missions across the Levant.
With airspace closures and military alerts spreading across multiple nations, concerns are mounting that the Israel-Iran confrontation could expand into a broader regional conflict.