Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Iran "blew the hell out of" Naval Support Activity Bahrain, offering one of the clearest public acknowledgments of significant damage to the U.S. 5th Fleet's base. The facility was evacuated after repeated drone and missile strikes, and more than 1,000 military family members were relocated and remain unlikely to return soon. Damage forced logistics to be rerouted to Diego Garcia, creating supply challenges for ships such as the USS Abraham Lincoln. Cao said a task force is evaluating next steps; the Navy provided no additional comment.
Acting Navy Secretary: Iran "Blew the Hell Out of" U.S. 5th Fleet Base in Bahrain
Smoke rises from Naval Support Activity Bahrain on Feb. 28, 2026.
The acting secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, this week offered a blunt assessment of damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, saying Iran's strikes "blew the hell out of Bahrain." His remarks mark one of the clearest acknowledgments from U.S. Navy leadership about the severity of harm to the 5th Fleet's headquarters since the outbreak of the war.
What Happened
At the outset of the conflict, Iran launched repeated drone and missile strikes on U.S. installations across the Middle East, including deadly attacks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain — home to the Navy's 5th Fleet — was hit multiple times. The facility was evacuated, and personnel were temporarily relocated to hotels and other buildings in Manama, some of which were subsequently targeted.
"They blew the hell out of Bahrain," — Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, in an interview with The Epoch Times.
Extent Of Damage And Operational Impact
Despite initial Pentagon statements that operations were not significantly affected, reporting by the Wall Street Journal this summer — citing satellite imagery and interviews — described "extensive damage," including hits to command buildings and satellite infrastructure. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle also said the Navy is "not getting back in [the base in Bahrain] anytime soon," signaling the damage is substantial and recovery will be protracted.
Beyond its role as fleet headquarters, the Bahrain base functions as a key logistics hub for naval operations in the Middle East. Damage to the facility forced a large-scale reroute of supplies to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, much farther away, creating logistical complications and delivery delays for ships operating in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
Human Cost
More than 1,000 military family members were evacuated from Bahrain and have spent months uncertain about whether they will return. Reporting from Stars and Stripes indicated that military and civilian staff and their families are not expected to return "for the foreseeable future," according to messages sent to families.
Next Steps
Cao said he has convened a task force to evaluate options for the Bahrain facility but provided no specifics. A Navy spokesperson responded that the service had "nothing additional to provide at this time." The situation remains fluid as assessments and repairs are likely to continue.
Sources: The Epoch Times interview with Hung Cao, Wall Street Journal reporting, Stars and Stripes, statements from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, and official Navy comments.
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