From the UK to the Gulf, are US overseas bases becoming liabilities?

The strategic landscape for US military installations is shifting as the presence of American forces abroad faces unprecedented security challenges. While many seek Gulf overseas services or regional stability, the reality for host nations has become increasingly complex. For decades, these bases served as the foundation of American power projection, allowing the US to conduct operations thousands of miles from home while providing a security umbrella for allies. However, recent developments in the war with Iran have transformed these critical assets into potential liabilities.

In the United Kingdom, concerns over security have led to the withdrawal of B-1 Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall. British authorities have investigated plots allegedly linked to Iran targeting these sites. Similar patterns have emerged across the Middle East, where Iranian strikes have damaged infrastructure in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq. Pentagon reports indicate that hundreds of structures were damaged in the first four months of the conflict alone.

Iranian attacks have turned once-strategic US military bases into significant security liabilities for host nations.

The vulnerability of Gulf overseas assets

Analysts suggest that the reliance on large, static military bases is being challenged by the proliferation of affordable, domestically produced drones and ballistic missiles. These technologies allow adversaries to inflict disproportionate damage, often exhausting expensive interceptor systems. In Qatar, an Iranian strike compromised radar systems at Al Udeid airbase, while in Bahrain, communications equipment at the Fifth Fleet headquarters was hit. Such incidents have rendered some facilities nearly unusable, forcing a re-evaluation of their utility.

This security dilemma is particularly acute for host countries that did not seek conflict but find themselves drawn into it. Governments in the Gulf and Europe are now weighing the benefits of US protection against the risk of becoming targets for retaliation. As the US naval blockade continues to disrupt regional shipping and energy exports, the perception of these bases as a source of stability is being replaced by concerns over their inherent vulnerability.

Why it matters

The shift in military strategy impacts global security architecture and regional stability. For host nations, the presence of American forces now carries the risk of direct involvement in conflicts they cannot control. This dynamic threatens the flow of essential oil and gas exports, creating economic uncertainty that affects global markets and nations reliant on these trade routes, including those in South Asia.