See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.
U.S. Military Bases in the Middle East, and Which Ones Iran Hit
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- The United States currently has over 40,000 soldiers deployed across 10 countries in the Middle East.
- A majority of U.S. bases and military assets in and around the Persian Gulf were hit by Iranian retaliatory airstrikes.
In response to large-scale airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, 2026, Iran launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes on U.S. military assets across the Middle East.
The U.S. has had a substantial military presence in the Middle East for decades, including most notably during the two Gulf Wars. Today between 40,000-50,000 American military personnel are stationed across roughly 10 countries in the region.
This map shows the locations of unclassified U.S. military bases and assets across the Middle East, using modified 2025 data from the Council on Foreign Relations.
Notably, in addition to targeting formal military facilities such as the Al Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates, the Iranian military also attacked commercial facilities which are used by the U.S. military such as the ports of Duqm and Jebel Ali.
The U.S. Military’s Sprawling Gulf Presence
The most concentrated U.S. military presence in the Middle East is in and around the Persian Gulf, which is home to the largest single source of petroleum worldwide.
The U.S. has military bases in each of the Gulf states except Iran, with Qatar holding the largest single regional base at Al Udeid Air Base. Over 10,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in that base alone.
The data table below highlights unclassified U.S. military assets around the Middle East, and their status in the current conflict as of March 2nd:
| U.S. Military Asset | Country | Targeted by Iran? |
|---|---|---|
| Ain al-Asad Air Base | Iraq | Yes |
| Akrotiri (RAF) | Cyprus (UK base with U.S. troops) | Yes |
| Al Dhafra Air Base | United Arab Emirates | Yes |
| Al Udeid Air Base | Qatar | Yes |
| Ali Al-Salem Air Base | Kuwait | Yes |
| Camp Arifjan | Kuwait | No |
| Camp As Sayliyah | Qatar | No |
| Camp Buehring | Kuwait | Yes |
| Camp Lemonnier | Djibouti | No |
| Duqm Port | Oman | Yes |
| Erbil Air Base (Al-Harir) | Iraq | Yes |
| Incirlik Air Base | Türkiye | No |
| Israel (no base) | Israel | Yes |
| Izmir Air Station | Türkiye | No |
| Jebel Ali Port | UAE | Yes |
| MFO South Camp (Sinai) | Egypt | No |
| Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base | Jordan | Yes |
| NE Syria (various) | Syria | No |
| NSA Bahrain | Bahrain | Yes |
| Prince Sultan Air Base | Saudi Arabia | Yes |
| Thumrait / Masirah | Oman | No |
| Tower 22 | Jordan | No |
Over 13,500 soldiers are stationed in Kuwait, with this small Gulf country welcoming hefty U.S. military personnel following the Gulf Wars. All but one U.S.-Kuwaiti base has been targeted by Iran.
American Military Bases Beyond the Gulf
The U.S. also holds Middle Eastern bases beyond the immediate vicinity of Iran, and some of these facilities were also the target of Iranian drones and missiles.
The British airbase of Akrotiri in Cyprus, which hosts U.S. troops, faced a sustained drone attack alleged to have been carried out by the Iran-backed Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah. This marks the first attack on a European country within this conflict.
Nearby Israel was also bombarded, while Jordan’s Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base intercepted missiles over what appeared to be Iran’s farthest land target.
Notably, none of the U.S. military installations in nearby Djibouti, Egypt, or Türkiye appear to have been targeted.
The Spiraling Hostilities in the Middle East to Come
The U.S. and Israeli strikes which began on February 28th decimated much of Iran’s top leadership, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as well as over 40 others.
Iran’s avowed retaliation has already placed U.S. military personnel across the Middle East on high alert. While the U.S. government has indicated its expectation that the conflict could last for weeks, the significant escalation has already had a severe impact on global markets, owing to the Persian Gulf’s central role in the world’s oil and gas industry.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Big is Iran? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.