Pentagon Considers New Bases in Israel and Jordan Amid Middle East Retreat
The Pentagon is considering new military bases in Israel and Jordan amid a broad U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East following severe Iranian strikes on regional infrastructure.
The Pentagon is considering establishing new military bases in Israel and Jordan, according to a report by The New York Times. The move, which would require congressional approval and take years to complete, is being weighed amid a broad American withdrawal from the Middle East. It turns out that a war designed to demonstrate the power of the United States has achieved precisely the opposite result. Meanwhile, Axios reported that the Pentagon has instructed CENTCOM to complete preparations for the resumption of combat operations in Iran.
Logistical Challenges and Sudden Retreats
According to The New York Times report, U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly been forced to withdraw military forces deployed in the Middle East and Britain due to significant Iranian strikes. Trump initiated the strike against Iran last February as a demonstration of force, but seven months into the conflict, massive vulnerabilities of the U.S. military have been exposed. The rapid evacuation of 12 B-1 bombers from the Royal Air Force base Fairford in Britain over the weekend, described by the president and his aides as a mere precautionary measure, illustrated the scale of the distress. Officials stated that the bombers were evacuated after intelligence indicated an intention by Iran-backed groups to launch drones at the aircraft.
The logistical consequences of the withdrawal are dramatic. American aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea are now forced to receive supplies from Diego Garcia Island, located about 3,540 kilometers away, which unprecedentedly increases the cost and delays routine operations. Worse still, the hasty retreats have sent a dangerous message to the Iranians and other rival powers that they have the ability to drive away a superpower.
Severe Damage to Regional Bases
On the ground, some of the American bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, which suffered severe blows from Iranian missiles and drones, were damaged so heavily that the Pentagon has no interest in rebuilding them. Six U.S. service members were killed in a strike at the Shuaiba port in Kuwait, and radar and communication systems were widely damaged at other bases in the region. Iran even managed to locate and strike U.S. forces that were forced to evacuate to unprotected hotels, and also hit the CIA station in Saudi Arabia.
The Iranians might internalize a dangerous lesson, as demonstrating the ability to strike American bases far from the Middle East proves that it is possible to push Trump into a corner.
Dana Stroul, a former senior Pentagon official, warned that while the U.S. administration insists these are tactical retreats and points to Iran's economic collapse under the naval blockade, reality tells a different story. Iran has adopted a strategy of escalation and continuous attacks against American military infrastructure, without any intention to compromise or back down.
