Gulf States Fear Escalation After US Strikes Iran Nuclear Sites (image-pixabay)
Gulf states are on high alert following the recent US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The region, which hosts several American military bases, remains a strategic focal point amid escalating tensions.
Following the attack, Tehran has warned that if it were attacked by the United States, it could target American assets in the region, including US military bases. Numerous military and geopolitical analysts have warned that the direct involvement of the US would risk dragging the Gulf States, notably Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, into the conflict.
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Bahrain has told 70 percent of government employees to work from home until further notice. In a post on X, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry wrote, “In light of recent developments in the regional security situation, we urge citizens and residents to use main roads only when necessary to maintain public safety and to allow the relevant authorities to use the roads efficiently.”
Local media has also reported that Bahrain had set up 33 shelters. Earlier this week, the authorities had activated a national plan to prepare for emergencies, set up an emergency centre, and tested warning sirens.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, was on a high security alert after the US strikes, reports Reuters.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the US operates a broad network of military sites, both permanent and temporary, across at least 19 locations in the region. Out of them, eight are permanent bases, located across Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to an Al Jazeera report, as of mid-2025, there were about 40,000 to 50,000 US troops in West Asia. The largest of them is located in Qatar, known as the Al Udeid Air Base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.
However, last week, the United States authorized “the voluntary departure” of dependents of American personnel from locations across West Asia.
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The US Air Force General, while briefing on the US attack on the nuclear site, declined to comment on specific moves taken to protect the U.S. troops based in the Middle East from potential Iranian retaliation.
“Our joint force remains ready to defend the United States – our troops and our interests in the region,” said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a briefing at the Pentagon.
