Report to Congress on Bahrain, Issues for U.S. Policy

U.S. Naval Institute ^ | September 23, 2026 | U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE STAFF

[Retain Mike]

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a small island nation connected by a causeway to Saudi Arabia (15.5miles away) and once claimed by Iran (124 miles away). Wedged between these two larger regional powers, Bahrain has hosted a U.S. naval command headquarters since 1948. For decades, Bahrain has permitted U.S. access to its facilities and has hosted U.S. Naval Central Command (NAVCENT) and the U.S. Fifth Fleet at a base called “Naval Support Activity (NSA)Bahrain.” NSA Bahrain has long served as the logistical hub for U.S. maritime operations in NAVCENT’s area of responsibility and has hosted thousands of American soldiers, civilians, and their families.

Since the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran began in February 2026, Bahrain’s security and economy have faced unprecedented challenges from Iranian retaliatory attacks against the island kingdom. To date, Iran’s drone and missile strikes have struck both Bahrain’s critical infrastructure and U.S. military facilities. As of fall 2026, numerous reports indicate that NSA Bahrain sustained serious damage in the opening days of the conflict. With NSA Bahrain damaged, U.S. Naval logistics operations have faced an array of challenges.

Bahrain closely aligns with de facto GCC leader Saudi Arabia, which provides Bahrain with substantial financial support. Bahrain, like some other GCC states, has been building ties to Israel and, in September 2020, Bahrain signed agreements at the White House to fully normalize its relations with Israel as part of the “Abraham Accords.” During the war between Israel and Hamas, Bahrain and Israel did not sever relations, though some Bahrainis have protested bilateral ties.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: abrahamaccords; bahrain; gcc; iran; navy; persiangulf; saudiarabia; straitofhormuz

[cloudmountain]

My husband and I lived and worked in the KSA. There was, as yet, no causeway to DRIVE to Bahrain...only an old tub of a boat to get there. NOW there is a giant causeway for driving.
Anyway, TONY BENNETT was in Bahrain, performing, so some friends and I went there to see him. He was WONDERFUL. No frills, no gimmicks...just him.
I'll never forget that.
Now Bahrain is a big deal.

As the news goes, Bahrain and the other Emirates are out of petroleum and natural gas but ARAMCO, Saudi Arabia's wells, have another 200+ years of the "black gold" and natural gas, so they are set for a L-O-N-G time to come.

One other thing, the KSA had no army, so they HIRED RaeDikLim, South Korean soldiers, regulars, to keep the industry safe.
Ah, me, those were the days.

[maddog55]

Bounced in and out of Bahrain in the early 2000s...the eyes of Llah can’t see in there... convenient for the Islamic Muslim scum.