Navy Reviews Bahrain Base Future After Iran Attacks

The U.S. Navy is reassessing the future of its key headquarters in Bahrain after Iranian attacks caused extensive damage, with Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao directly acknowledging the severity of the strikes. "They blew the hell out of Bahrain," Cao said in an interview published Thursday, referring to the damage at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The facility serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces Central Command, overseeing operations across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and surrounding waters. Cao confirmed the Navy has established a task force to evaluate whether the base can be repaired. "I have a task force that's looking at that," he stated. The review comes as the installation remains unusable, with personnel unable to return. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle told sailors at an August 31 town hall that the Navy did not plan to return to the base "anytime soon." The damage has disrupted logistics for U.S. naval forces, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, which has lost access to its regional port and logistics hub.