13 US Bases In The Middle East Have Been Destroyed

The New York Times has confirmed that most of the US bases in the Middle East have been destroyed and empty.

Many of the 17 military bases in the region used by American troops are severely damaged and 13 are all but uninhabitable, with the ones in Kuwait, which is next door to Iran, suffering perhaps the most damage, according to the NYT.

A recent New York Times report confirms that ongoing conflicts have left most of the U.S. military bases in the Middle East heavily damaged and largely abandoned.

Heavy Damage in Kuwait Many of these facilities in the region are currently described as nearly uninhabitable. Bases in Kuwait, right on Iran's doorstep, are reported to have suffered perhaps the greatest damage.

A U.S. military official briefed on the situation emphasized the scale of the destruction in comments to the press, stating, "At least 11 American military bases or facilities have been damaged."

A Costly Mistake: America uses these bases to project its military power across the entire region, making this a massive strategic blow for them. This is exactly what happens when you attack countries in the Middle East just because you can (and at Israel's behest).

A major mistake on the U.S.'s part.

Iran’s bombardment of U.S. bases across the Middle East has forced thousands of American troops to abandon their installations and operate from hotels, office buildings, and other improvised locations — effectively fighting a major war while “working remotely.”

Bases Rendered Unusable.

Many of the 13 U.S. bases in the region are now heavily damaged or uninhabitable:

Kuwait (worst hit):

• Port Shuaiba: Strike destroyed an Army operations center; 6 U.S. troops killed.
• Ali Al Salem Air Base: Aircraft structures damaged; personnel injured.
• Camp Buehring: Fuel and maintenance facilities hit. Qatar
• Al Udeid Air Base: Early‑warning radar system damaged.

Bahrain:

• U.S. Fifth Fleet HQ: Communications equipment hit by an Iranian drone.

Saudi Arabia:

• Prince Sultan Air Base: Communications gear and refueling tankers damaged.

Iraq:

• Iranian‑backed militia struck a hotel in Erbil with a drone swarm.

Reported Status of Military Bases
According to a recent New York Times analysis (March 11, 2026), at least 17 U.S. sites have been damaged by Iranian strikes, including 11 major military installations—nearly half of all such American facilities in the region.

Damage Severity: Strikes have targeted high-value assets, including a $1.1 billion early-warning radar in Qatar and THAAD air defense components in the UAE and Jordan.
Operational Status: Bases are not necessarily "vacant" in the sense of being abandoned, but many troops have been relocated to hotels and office spaces throughout the region to "work remotely" while maintaining military functions.

Specific Impacts:
Bahrain: Extensive damage to the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters, including destroyed communications terminals and large buildings.
Kuwait: Structural collapses at Ali Al Salem Air Base and damage at Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring.
Qatar: Significant damage to radar systems at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. base in the region.

Financial and Strategic Cost
Estimates from the BBC and CSIS suggest Iranian strikes caused roughly $800 million in damage to U.S. infrastructure in the first two weeks of the conflict alone. While the Pentagon maintains that these losses have not stopped ongoing military campaigns, officials acknowledge the damage to radar and communications has been "severe and difficult to repair.