US forces scatter across Middle East as Iranian attacks disrupt base operations

The New York Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Iranian attacks on US bases in the Middle East have compelled American forces to abandon some facilities and shift parts of their operations to remote execution.

According to the report, a portion of personnel has been relocated to “alternative” sites, including hotels and office buildings across the region. This redistribution has effectively pushed a significant share of ground operations into a remote framework. Fighter jet pilots and aircrews, however, continue to carry out missions from remaining operational military installations.

Sources indicated that dispersing units across multiple locations has constrained the US military’s operational capacity and complicated coordination. The report added that Iran has urged local populations to share information on the new locations of US personnel.

Retired US Air Force special operations targeting specialist Chief Master Sergeant Wes J. Bryant said, “We can establish temporary operations centers, but operational effectiveness declines in the process. You cannot place all equipment on, for example, the roof of a hotel; some systems are simply not suited to such environments.”

A US military official, however, stated that troops are not conducting operations from the rooftops of civilian hotels.

Infrastructure exposed, preparedness lacking

The report said the regional military infrastructure established during US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has proven vulnerable to missile and drone attacks. Sources noted that preparations were insufficient to counter Iran’s capacity for large-scale retaliation.

Tehran targeted US installations in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. The attacks damaged communications systems, fuel infrastructure, and air assets. Some bases have become unsuitable for continuous personnel deployment.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States has carried out more than 7,000 strikes on targets inside Iran. At the outset of the conflict, roughly 40,000 US troops were stationed in the region, with some later redeployed to other areas, including Europe.

Speaking on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ebrahim Zolfaghari said Iranian forces had destroyed all US bases in the Middle East and that American troops were no longer present at those facilities. US officials have not confirmed that the bases were completely destroyed.

Costs rise as deployments accelerate

Financial Times and Newsmax reported that Washington has accelerated military deployments to the Middle East, sending six amphibious assault ships and approximately 8,000 troops. Of these, between 4,000 and 5,000 are US Marines.

BBC reported that damage to US bases during the first two weeks of Iranian attacks reached roughly $800 million. US spending exceeded $11.3 billion in the first six days of the conflict, making the operation the most expensive military undertaking of President Donald Trump’s second term.

On March 23, Trump said the United States would refrain from targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure for five days. During the same period, Washington presented Tehran with a 15-point plan to end the war. The proposal included Iran abandoning its nuclear program, limiting its military capacity, and, in return, the lifting of sanctions.