Navy Secretary says Iran hit US base
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The gist
Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Iran severely damaged the Navy base in Bahrain.
The admission contradicts prior US claims and affects Fifth Fleet operations.
Background
Iran and US forces have traded strikes in the Gulf region. The US destroyed Iranian oil tankers after Iran targeted a US warship, and Iran retaliated by attacking US bases in Jordan and Bahrain. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao's public acknowledgment of severe damage to the Bahrain base marks a shift from earlier official statements that the strikes did not significantly impact operations.
How it unfolded
- Sep 8, 2026US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after Iran targeted a US warship, the second such attack in less than a week.
- Sep 9, 2026Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck a US military base in Jordan (Al-Azraq) in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian oil tankers.
- Sep 10, 2026Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao reportedly admitted that Iran 'blew the hell' out of the US naval base in Bahrain.
- Sep 11, 2026Iran welcomed the US admission of damage to the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged that Iranian attacks severely damaged the Navy installation in Bahrain.
- Analysts
- The Wall Street Journal, analyzing satellite imagery and interviews, concluded Iranian strikes caused extensive damage the Pentagon did not immediately acknowledge.
- Party
- Iran welcomed the US admission of damage to the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Still unverified
The full extent of damage to the Bahrain base and its impact on US operations remains disputed; some reports rely on satellite imagery and anonymous sources.