The U.S. military maintains hundreds of locations both domestically and abroad (as of July 2024, there were at least 128 military bases outside of its borders). The U.S. Army claims that, in terms of area, Camp Humphreys in South Korea is the biggest foreign base.
Since 2001, between 1.9 and three million US service members have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, with more than half of them having been deployed more than once, according to the Watson Institute at Brown University.
What is a Military Base?
A military base is a facility that is directly owned and run by the military or one of its components, housing military personnel and equipment, and facilitating operations and training. A military base can serve as a command center, training ground, or proving ground in addition to housing one or more units. Military bases typically depend on outside assistance to function. Nonetheless, some complex bases may survive for extended periods of time on their own because they can supply their residents with food, water, and other essentials during sieges. Air bases are bases for military aircraft. Naval bases serve as bases for military ships.
Country-wise List of US Military Bases in Middle East
Check the country-wise list of US Military Bases in the Middle East Countries along with the key highlights:
Bahrain
The Fifth Fleet of the U.S. Navy, which occupies the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and portions of the Indian Ocean, has its headquarters in Bahrain.
Qatar
Located in the desert outside the capital Doha, the 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations throughout a vast region that stretches from Kazakhstan in the east to Egypt in the west. About 10,000 troops are stationed at the largest U.S. outpost in the Middle East.
Kuwait
The Ali Al Salem Air Base, often known as "The Rock" due to its remote and mountainous setting, and Camp Arifjan, the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central, are two of the many expansive military sites. According to the U.S. Army website, Camp Buehring was created during the 2003 Iraq War and serves as a staging area for American Army units moving into Syria and Iraq.
United Arab Emirates
The U.S. Air Force Central Command states that the Al Dhafra Air Base, which is located south of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi and is shared with the UAE Air Force, is a vital U.S. Air Force hub that has been helpful in important missions against the Islamic State and surveillance deployments around the area.
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U.S. Military Bases in the Middle East
Here is a list of major U.S. military bases located across the Middle East, along with their locations and host countries.
| Base Name | Location | Country |
| U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet HQ | Manama | Bahrain |
| Al Udeid Air Base | Desert outside Doha | Qatar |
| Camp Arifjan | Near Kuwait City | Kuwait |
| Ali Al Salem Air Base | ~40 km from the Iraqi border | Kuwait |
| Camp Buehring | Near Iraq-Kuwait border | Kuwait |
| Al Dhafra Air Base | South of Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates |
| Jebel Ali Port (not a formal base) | Dubai | United Arab Emirates |
| Ain Al Asad Air Base | Anbar province (Western Iraq) | Iraq |
| Erbil Air Base | Kurdistan Region (Northern Iraq) | Iraq |
| Prince Sultan Air Base | ~60 km south of Riyadh | Saudi Arabia |
| Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base | Azraq, ~100 km northeast of Amman | Jordan |
Largest Military Base In Middle East
Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US military facility in the Middle East. The facility is situated west of Doha, Qatar. It was created in 1996 and is home to over 11,000 coalition and American service men. The complex, which is 24 hectares (60 acres) in size, can house around 100 aircraft and drones.
