Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he welcomed the acknowledgment that Iran’s attacks had caused heavy damage to the US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Araghchi described Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao’s assessment as “frank.” The Iranian foreign minister said Iran’s armed forces had struck the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, as well as other bases supporting US operations.
Damage in Bahrain affected carrier operations
According to Hung Cao’s statement, extensive damage to naval facilities in Bahrain also affected operations linked to the USS Abraham Lincoln. It was said that no area remained for the ship’s personnel to berth after the damage.
Earlier, open-source investigations and analyses based on satellite imagery had been published regarding the extent of the damage at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, which serves as the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet.
US Navy gives no date for return to Bahrain
Admiral Daryl Caudle, the US Navy’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, said the Navy would not return to Naval Support Activity Bahrain in the near future because of the damage.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, which spent nearly 200 days in a conflict zone during its approximately nine-month deployment, docked at Thailand’s Laem Chabang Port earlier this month.
Extended deployment draws criticism
The aircraft carrier’s extended deployment drew criticism from lawmakers and military families. Concerns were raised over food and water shortages, plumbing problems, declining personnel morale, and the mental health of service members and the risk of self-harm.
Araghchi also argued that the American people deserved better than to bear the cost of Israel’s wars.
