Iranian officials warned the Qataris this week that US bases in the Gulf would be legitimate targets in retaliation for an American attack, according to a European official briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive communications, Report informs referring to The Washington Post.
US embassies and diplomatic compounds in the region could also become targets. The US has evacuated some personnel and family members from missions in Iraq and Israel.
Major US military deployments in the Persian Gulf include Naval Support Activity Bahrain, headquarters of the US 5th Fleet and home to some 8,300 American sailors, and the Qatari-owned al-Udeid Air Base, which boasts the largest US contingent in the Middle East. Al-Udeid, 20 miles southwest of Doha, is a forward command post for US Central Command and can house more than 10,000 troops.
Other Persian Gulf installations housing US troops include Camp Buehring and Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, home to the Air Force’s 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.
Militants funded by Tehran could also threaten US personnel and interests in the region.
“Operational plans have been established for that purpose,” Abu Ali al-Askari, a security official with the Iranian-backed, Iraqi-based Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, warned on June 19.
“Undoubtedly, American bases throughout the region will become akin to duck-hunting grounds … not to mention the unforeseen surprises that may await its aircraft in the skies.”
Asked about preparations to head off potential Iranian reprisals, the Pentagon press office on Thursday directed The Washington Post to a Monday statement from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announcing the “deployment of additional capabilities” to the Middle East. “Protecting US forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region,” Hegseth wrote on X.
