A sustained wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. military installations across the Middle East has forced thousands of American troops to abandon traditional bases and relocate to improvised locations, including hotels and office buildings, as the conflict enters its fourth week.
Military officials say the strikes, launched in response to joint U.S.-Israeli operations, have damaged or destroyed several key facilities, disrupting command systems and complicating coordination on the ground. The situation has created what insiders describe as a “remote war” setup, with personnel now operating from scattered civilian locations rather than secured military bases.
Despite the setbacks, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted operations remain on course, stating that American forces have hit more than 7,000 targets across Iran. “Today will be the largest strike package yet, just like yesterday was,” he said during a Pentagon briefing.
However, current and former military officials warn that the relocations have weakened operational effectiveness and increased risks. Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Wes J. Bryant noted that critical military equipment cannot be properly deployed in temporary setups. “You can’t just put all that equipment on top of a hotel,” he said.
Some of the most severe damage has been reported in Kuwait, where a strike on Port Shuaiba allegedly killed six U.S. service members and destroyed a tactical operations centre. Other bases across the region have also been hit: Iran struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, damaging radar systems; a drone attack in Bahrain targeted communications equipment at the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters; Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base suffered damage to refuelling aircraft and communication systems; and in Iraq, a drone swarm targeted a high-end hotel in Erbil.
The continued attacks have effectively crippled several of the 13 major U.S. bases in the region, forcing the Pentagon to disperse troops. While some have been moved to Europe, others remain in the Middle East under increasingly uncertain and vulnerable conditions.
