US Navy Shifts Main Middle East Supply Hub to Diego Garcia After Iran Strikes Bahrain Base

The United States Navy has shifted its main regional logistics and supply point to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean after Iranian missile and drone strikes heavily damaged a key U.S. Navy facility in Bahrain, according to a new report by The New York Times.

A U.S. military official told the newspaper that the Navy began using the British-administered island as its main shipment point shortly after the Bahrain facility was severely damaged.

Diego Garcia is located roughly 2,200 miles from the area where U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups have been operating in the Gulf of Oman, creating a significantly longer supply route for American forces.

Iranian Strikes Disrupt US Supply Network

The shift followed Iranian missile and drone attacks on the U.S. Navy facility in Bahrain early in the conflict.

The Bahrain facility had served as an important logistics hub for U.S. naval operations in the region for decades.

Damage to the facility disrupted the supply network supporting American forces and forced the Navy to find an alternative location.

With other regional ports also considered vulnerable to Iranian attacks, the Pentagon turned to Diego Garcia as an alternative supply point.

The island already plays an important role in U.S. military logistics and supports prepositioned equipment and supplies for operations in the Middle East and other regions.

Longer Distance Creates Supply Challenges

The relocation has increased the distance that supplies must travel to reach U.S. forces operating closer to the Middle East.

The disruption has been linked to supply difficulties experienced by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has remained deployed for an unusually long period during the conflict.

Reports have described shortages and delays involving food, hygiene supplies and mail aboard the carrier, although U.S. defence officials have disputed some of the reports about conditions on the ship.

The Navy has acknowledged that combat operations disrupted traditional supply hubs in the Middle East and said mission-critical supplies were prioritised.

Diego Garcia Also Came Under Iranian Missile Attack

The strategic importance of Diego Garcia has also made it a target.

Iran fired two medium-range ballistic missiles toward the island on March 20, according to reports cited by The New York Times. One missile fell into the Indian Ocean short of its target, while another was intercepted by a U.S. Navy warship.

The relocation therefore gives the U.S. Navy a more distant logistics base, but it also demonstrates how the conflict has disrupted the American military’s traditional supply infrastructure across the Middle East.