Hundreds of U.S. sailors were evacuated from their base in Bahrain after Iranian missiles and drones struck the installation, NPR has learned. Evacuations have also occurred at other U.S. bases in the region, though details remain limited.
Bahrain hosts the Navy’s 5th Fleet, a key center for maritime security in the Middle East and protection of commercial shipping. The island nation sits about 124 nautical miles from Iran, putting it well within range of Iranian drones and missiles. Before the U.S. struck Iran on Feb. 28, roughly 8,000 people were stationed at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.
On the first day of the conflict, NSA Bahrain was struck multiple times. Social media showed a ballistic missile and Iranian drones hitting the base, and satellite imagery from Planet indicates at least seven buildings in and around the base were struck between Feb. 28 and March 6.
A Navy spokesman confirmed that about 1,500 sailors, their families and several hundred pets were relocated back to the United States. Sailors began arriving in Norfolk, Va., home of the world’s largest naval base, by mid-March. Community organizations say many arrived with almost nothing, prompting requests for basic supplies like toiletries.
“The base was asking for donations of toiletries and different things for the sailors coming back, because they were coming back with nothing,” said Derrick Johnson, commander of American Legion Post 327 in Norfolk. The post held a spaghetti dinner for some returning sailors. Vice commander Keith Shanesy said some of the first servicemembers they met had only what fit in a backpack — no uniforms, nothing extra.
The Navy has offered services including crisis counseling, financial and legal assistance, relocation support, education resources and coordination for child and youth programs, according to Lt. Cmdr. Kara Handley. The USO has also provided support to sailors arriving in Norfolk. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has distributed about $1 million to roughly 2,000 sailors and their families since evacuations began, said Dawn Cutler, the group’s chief operations officer and a retired rear admiral.
Cutler described families fleeing quickly — one mother with a two-week-old, a two-year-old and a dog in a crate left with a single suitcase — and now facing uncertainty about what comes next, including whether they will return to duty overseas. The relief funds are intended to cover essentials and provide bridge loans for basic living expenses while families wait for government reimbursements, which can take months.
Moving pets proved complicated. Initial guidance reportedly barred pet movement, then changed; some animals were placed on different flights. Volunteers helped supply carriers and other needed items.
Service members abroad do not keep U.S. homes while deployed; the military requires they designate a safe-haven location in the U.S. for emergency relocation. Some evacuees are staying with relatives, while others remain on U.S. bases. MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina have also served as hubs for returning flights.
On April 1, the Navy issued updated guidance for evacuated sailors and families, clarifying reimbursement for hotel stays and covering those temporarily moved to locations such as Italy and Germany before repatriation to the United States. The Navy has not yet provided answers about vehicles and household goods left behind during the rapid departures, nor has it told evacuees when or if they will return to their Middle East posts.
Geoff Brumfiel contributed to this report.