The United States maintains a significant military footprint across the Middle East, a region long viewed as critical to American strategic interests. Spread across multiple countries, these bases serve as logistical hubs, intelligence-gathering outposts, training facilities, and rapid deployment centers. Their distribution reflects a mix of historical alliances, strategic calculations, and evolving security challenges.
A July 2024 Congressional Research Service report states that the US Department of Defense manages or operates at least 128 overseas bases in at least 51 countries. The Middle East bases fall under the jurisdiction of US Central Command (CENTCOM). These bases are classified as either persistent bases—sites used by the Department of Defense for at least 15 years with some level of U.S. operational control—or other selected military locations where the DOD maintains some form of territorially linked presence or access, even if they don’t meet all the criteria for persistent bases.
Bahrain—Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain)
-Home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, this base is the cornerstone of American maritime presence in the Persian Gulf. It enables the U.S. to patrol key waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz.
-The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and US Naval Forces Central Command are headquartered in Bahrain– a tiny Gulf kingdom that remains the United States’ critical asset in the Persian Gulf.
-Bahrain’s deep-water port can accommodate the largest US military ships, including aircraft carriers. The base hosts the US Navy’s four anti-mine vessels, two logistical support ships operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), and one Expeditionary Support Base (ESB) ship, along with several Coast Guard vessels.
-The US Navy has operated from this base since 1948, when it was originally run by Britain’s Royal Navy.
Qatar—Al Udeid Air Base
-The largest U.S. military facility in the region (24-hectare), Al Udeid hosts over 10,000 U.S. troops and serves as a key aerial operations center for CENTCOM, covering missions from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan.
-Qatar has invested over $8 billion since 2003 to develop the air base and has recently renewed the agreement allowing the US to use the facility for another ten years.
– The air base hosts a range of military assets, including surveillance aircraft, KC-135 Stratotankers for aerial refuelling, C-17A Globemasters and C-130H Hercules for combat airlift operations, as well as Patriot missile defense systems and AN/TPY-2 X-band radar used in missile defense support.
-It also hosts America’s rotating combat aircraft, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.
Kuwait—Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring and Ali al-Salem Air Base
-Kuwait is home to several key US military bases, including Camp Arifjan, which functions as the forward headquarters for US Army Central (ARCENT) under the US Central Command.
-The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing operates out of Ali al-Salem Air Base, serving as the main airlift center for moving personnel and equipment to joint and coalition forces across the region. This base also supports unmanned surveillance aircraft such as MQ-9 drones and offers robust combat airlift capabilities.
-The US maintains its largest regional air logistics hub at Kuwait International Airport.
-Camp Buehring, established during the Iraq war in 2003, is a primary staging area for Army units heading into Iraq and Syria.
-Together, these installations provide the US with a strong and flexible military footprint, ensuring rapid deployment and operational readiness in the Middle East.
UAE—Al Dhafra Air Base
-Al Dhafra Air Base, situated just south of Abu Dhabi, is a major hub for the US Air Force’s 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, which operates a mix of ten squadrons, including MQ-9 Reaper drones. The facility is jointly used with the UAE Air Force and plays a vital strategic role for US operations in the region.
-The base supports a variety of advanced aircraft, such as airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) planes, intelligence and surveillance platforms, and aerial refueling tankers.
-Al Dhafra also hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Center, which delivers region-specific training programs to around 2,000 military personnel each year.
-Rotations of US combat aircraft are regularly stationed at Al Dhafra, ensuring ongoing operational readiness.
-Beyond the air base, US Navy ships receive port and logistical support at Jebel Ali in Dubai and other UAE ports, further strengthening American military presence and capabilities in the area.
Iraq—Al Asad and Erbil Air Bases
-The United States maintains a military presence at several sites in Iraq, including Al-Asad and Erbil air bases.
-Approximately 2,500 US troops and military contractors are stationed in Baghdad, the northern Kurdish region, and the western desert as part of an international coalition against ISIS.
-Although the formal US occupation of Iraq ended in 2011, American forces redeployed to the country to help combat ISIS after the group captured significant territory in the north and west.
-At Al Asad Air Base, US personnel provide support to Iraqi security forces and contribute to NATO-led missions, according to the White House.
-In 2020, Al Asad Air Base was struck by Iranian missiles in response to the US killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
-Erbil Air Base, located in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, is a central site for US and coalition forces to conduct training exercises and operational drills.
-The base offers a secure environment for training, intelligence sharing, and logistical coordination in northern Iraq.
-US military assets stationed in Iraq include AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, MH-47G Chinook helicopters, MH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, and unmanned surveillance aircraft, according to the Congressional Research Service report.
-Erbil Air Base supports ongoing missions in northern Iraq and Syria, serving as a strategic hub for both US and coalition operations
Syria—Small Outposts in the Northeast
-US involvement in Syria began as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State, with troops stationed at Al Tanf base and other sites in northeastern Syria.
-In April, the Pentagon announced plans to reduce the US military presence in Syria to fewer than 1,000 personnel in the coming months as part of a broader consolidation effort
Jordan—Muwaffaq Salti Air Base
-The Muwaffaq al Salti air base, located northeast of Amman, hosts the US Air Force’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, which began operating F-35 fighter jets in 2023.
-Tower 22, near the borders with Iraq and Syria, houses around 350 US military personnel as of January 2024.
-According to a December 2023 report to Congress, approximately 3,188 US military personnel are stationed in Jordan.
U.S. Military’s Deterrence and Geopolitical Leverage in the Middle East
The United States maintains military bases across the Middle East as a critical component of its broader strategic posture. These installations ensure rapid access to key maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal—locations vital for global trade and energy flows.
Their presence serves as both a deterrent to adversaries like Iran and non-state actors such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, and as a platform for counterterrorism operations and the training of regional forces to promote stability. U.S. bases also play a central role in containing Iran’s influence by monitoring military activity and disrupting proxy networks.
Beyond security concerns, these bases reinforce alliances through joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and defense cooperation, while also supporting arms sales and demonstrating long-term U.S. commitment to regional partners.
Although American reliance on Middle Eastern oil has diminished, safeguarding the region’s energy infrastructure remains essential, particularly for the economic security of European and Asian allies.
The strategic positioning of ports and air bases enables the U.S. Navy to lead multinational maritime coalitions and rapidly respond to crises, projecting influence and balancing the growing presence of Russia and China.
Despite growing calls for reassessment, the U.S. military footprint in the region continues to function as a cornerstone of deterrence, crisis response, and geopolitical leverage in one of the world’s most contested arenas.