Why Iran struck Dubai despite no official US military base

Days before the Israel-US joint attack on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had warned that if Washington struck Tehran, American bases in the Middle East would be targeted. 

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When the joint operation unfolded on Saturday, Iran launched retaliatory strikes across Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait - all home to US military facilities. 

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But Iran also struck the United Arab Emirates, a country that does not host a formal US military base.

Missiles and drones hit some of Dubai's most recognisable landmarks, including Jebel Ali Port, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab in the Jumeirah area, Dubai International Airport, and Palm Jumeirah.

Why Iran targeted Dubai

While the UAE does not host a formal US military base, it provides critical facilities that support American military operations in the region.

The Al Dhafra Air Base, located south of Abu Dhabi and shared with the UAE Air Force, is a key US Air Force hub. According to the US Air Force Central Command, it has supported missions against the Islamic State as well as reconnaissance deployments across the region.

Dubai's Jebel Ali Port, though not a designated military base, is the US Navy's largest port of call in the Middle East and regularly hosts American aircraft carriers and other naval vessels.

Other US military facilities in the Middle East

Washington operates military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq. 

In Bahrain, the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet oversees operations across the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

In Qatar, the 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base outside Doha serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, directing operations from Egypt to Kazakhstan. The base houses around 10,000 troops and is the largest US installation in the Middle East.

Kuwait hosts multiple installations, including Camp Arifjan - the forward headquarters of US Army Central - and Ali Al Salem Air Base, about 40 km from the Iraqi border. Camp Buehring, established during the 2003 Iraq War, functions as a staging post for US Army units deploying into Iraq and Syria.

In Iraq, the US maintains a presence at Ain Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province, supporting Iraqi security forces and contributing to the NATO mission, according to the White House. The base was targeted by Iranian missile strikes in 2020 following the US killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. 

In northern Iraq's Kurdistan Region, Erbil Air Base serves as a hub for US and coalition forces conducting training, intelligence sharing, and logistical coordination.

Saudi Arabia also hosts US forces. According to a 2024 White House letter, 2,321 US soldiers are stationed in the kingdom, operating in coordination with the Saudi government. Some are based roughly 60 km south of Riyadh at Prince Sultan Air Base, which supports Patriot missile batteries, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems, and US military aircraft operations.

In Jordan, the Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base in Azraq, about 100 km northeast of Amman, hosts the US Air Forces Central’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, conducting missions across the Levant.

(With inputs from Reuters)