Iran Launches Major Retaliatory Strikes on US Bases and Aircraft Carrier in the Middle East
Tensions in the Middle East have exploded into open conflict after Iran launched a massive wave of strikes against multiple US military installations and a naval vessel, in direct retaliation for a joint US-Israeli operation.
According to reports, Iran targeted American assets across the region, striking bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, as well as attacking the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
The coordinated assault was confirmed as a direct response to a large-scale military operation conducted jointly by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets just a day prior.
Explosions hit Jufair, Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet headquarters. pic.twitter.com/YjXTCeykOY
— Josep Goded (@josepgoded) February 28, 2026
Details of the Attacks:
Utilizing ballistic missiles, Iran struck several key facilities:
–Bahrain: A primary target was the US Navy base in Juffair, which houses the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet. Reports indicate explosions at the base and a separate strike on a US Navy logistics facility.
–United Arab Emirates: A US base in Abu Dhabi, which hosts a unit of the US Air Force Air Combat Command, was hit by an Iranian missile.
–Qatar: A significant US base, constructed following Operation Desert Storm and home to US Marine units operating EA-6B Prowler fighters, was also attacked.
–Kuwait: The Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait came under fire as well.
–Naval Target: In a significant escalation, Iran also attacked the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
Context and Escalation:
The Iranian strikes come just one day after a joint US-Israeli military operation that saw approximately 30 targets struck inside Iran. Reports from that operation indicate that the strikes hit high-profile locations in Tehran, including the presidential plaza and the intelligence headquarters.
UNN reports that the US-Israeli operation had been planned jointly for several months. In the wake of that attack, Iran closed its airspace, with only a few flights remaining over the country heading to Tbilisi, Almaty, and Dubai.
What’s Next:
Following the initial US-Israeli strikes, Israel signaled it was preparing for a multi-day conflict. Now, after Iran’s devastating retaliatory response, Tehran has promised further action, raising fears of an expanding and prolonged war in the region. The US has approximately 19 military bases spread across the Middle East, including in Oman and Saudi Arabia, leaving a significant American footprint potentially vulnerable as the conflict escalates.
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