Iranian attacks expose U.S. bases and regional force-protection gaps

Iran has claimed or reportedly conducted attacks against U.S. facilities and troop-hosting partners in Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraqi Kurdistan. Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base is particularly important because it supports U.S. transport and combat aircraft and has gained importance as activity shifts from Iraq. Damage, aircraft-loss and casualty claims remain contested, but the breadth of reported targeting is intensifying questions about air defenses, base survivability and escalation control.