Iran Fully Decimated U.S. Base in Bahrain, Navy Secretary Hung Cao Admits
By garrisonvance // 2026-09-13
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Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in an interview with the Epoch Times that Iranian forces "blew the hell" out of the U.S. naval base in Bahrain. The remark was made to reporter Ryan Morgan on Thursday, Sept. 10, and represents one of the most direct public acknowledgments by a senior U.S. official of the extent of damage sustained at the installation. The outlet later reported on Cao's remarks. The base, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, serves as headquarters for the U.S. Fifth Fleet and has been a central hub for American naval operations in the Middle East. Iranian forces began targeting the installation after U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, according to the Epoch Times [1]. Damage to the Fifth Fleet headquarters from a Feb. 28 drone attack has been documented since the early weeks of the conflict [1]. Cao's comment contrasts with prior public statements by the administration describing Iran's attack capabilities as degraded. The remark was reported by The New Republic, which noted that the statement "contradicts the Trump administration's narrative of total destruction of Iran's attack capabilities." No transcript of the interview was released by the Navy, and the statements remain attributed solely to the Epoch Times interview.

Remarks on the USS Abraham Lincoln and Base Reentry

Cao also told the Epoch Times that the Iranian attack left U.S. forces unable to "pull in" the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, according to the report. The carrier has been at sea for months and has been the subject of reporting on poor conditions and low morale among its crew. The USS Lincoln deployed from San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, and has been operating in the waters of the Middle East since January, assisting in combat operations against Iran since Feb. 28 [2]. Top Navy officials met with family members of deployed sailors and Marines in August to address the stresses of the ongoing duty in the Middle East [2]. The carrier was nearing the nine-month mark of its deployment at that time [2]. Media reports have described resupply problems, sub-standard conditions, and mental health problems given the over-extended deployment [3]. The Navy has said it is making a concerted effort to apply the hard lessons learned from the marathon deployments of the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Lincoln, according to a video posted by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle [4]. When asked about any plans to return to the U.S. base in Bahrain, Cao told the Epoch Times: "I have a task force that's looking at that." The Navy has not publicly announced a timeline for returning to normal operations at the facility. Earlier in September, the Navy's chief said the service did not plan to return to the Bahrain base "anytime soon" as clashes with Iran continued [5].

Reaction from Journalists and Analysts

Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin wrote that Cao's comment was "a pretty stunning admission by the Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, whose nomination is hung up in Congress, about how Iranian forces 'blew the hell out of (U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet base in) Bahrain.'" She added, "Haven't heard a senior U.S. official admit this on the record until now." The statement was posted to social media and reported by The New Republic. Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute wrote that a pattern has emerged in the conflict: "A clear and particularly stark pattern we see in the war with Iran is that the Iranians are inflicting tremendous STRATEGIC damage with their missiles, but that the [U.S. government] denies this at first and only admits it weeks, if not months, later. This creates a PROLONGED false impression that the war is going much better than it actually is and that strategic setbacks are not taking place at all." Parsi's comments were also reported by The New Republic. He further stated that "the media narrative was that Tehran was utterly failing. In reality, Tehran was showcasing capabilities that the official Western narrative ensured were underestimated." The comments from both Griffin and Parsi were presented as attributed statements rather than findings of fact. Neither the Navy nor the Department of War issued an on-the-record response to Cao's remarks in the available material.

Background on the Bahrain Attack and Cao's Nomination

Damage to the Fifth Fleet headquarters at Naval Support Activity Bahrain has been documented since the Feb. 28 drone attack, according to the Epoch Times [1]. The base has traditionally served as a logistics hub, allowing for the pier-side resupply of U.S. warships [5]. Iranian forces have launched waves of missiles and drones at U.S. military outposts in the region since the U.S. and Israeli strikes began [5]. Cao is serving in an acting capacity and his nomination is stalled in Congress, as reported by The New Republic. The Washington Post reported in August that the War Department was considering pulling back troops from the Persian Gulf following damage to its presence there during the war with Iran, citing eight sources. The report said the War Department was even considering not rebuilding its damaged bases as they were before the fighting broke out in late February [6]. Iranian officials have seized on Cao's remarks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that Iran appreciated Cao for publicly admitting that Iranian attacks on a key U.S. naval base in Bahrain had caused extensive damage during the war. Araghchi wrote: "Our powerful Armed Forces did indeed 'blow the hell out'" [7]. The War Department did not issue an on-the-record response to Cao's comments in the available material, and no independent damage assessment has been released publicly.

What Remains Unconfirmed

No independent damage assessment has been released publicly, and it is not known when or whether U.S. personnel will return to the Bahrain facility. Cao's answer to that question was that a task force is reviewing it [1]. The Navy has not released a transcript of the interview, and requests for comment from the Navy and the War Department were not reflected in the source material. Continued reporting will depend on further on-the-record statements from officials and any released assessments. The extent of damage to the Fifth Fleet headquarters, the timeline for potential repairs and the long-term posture of U.S. naval forces in Bahrain remain unresolved questions. As of early September, the Navy did not plan to return to the base "anytime soon" [5].

References

  1. The Epoch Times. "Navy Evaluating Future at Key Middle East Base Following Iran War Damage: Acting Secretary". September 10, 2026.
  2. The Epoch Times. "Navy Meets With Families of USS Lincoln Personnel Amid Concerns About Mideast Deployment". August 13, 2026.
  3. ZeroHedge. "Media Accuses Hegseth Of Covering Up USS Lincoln Supply Crisis". August 19, 2026.
  4. The War Zone. "Where Are The American Aircraft Carriers?: September 9, 2026". September 9, 2026.
  5. The Epoch Times. "Navy Doesn't Plan to Return to Bahrain Base 'Anytime Soon,' Chief Says". September 1, 2026.
  6. The Times of Israel. "US reportedly weighing major troop pullback from Gulf following damage in Iran war". August 18, 2026.
  7. Middle East Eye. "Araghchi welcomes US navy secretary's Bahrain damage remarks". September 11, 2026.

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