The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran vehemently opposed the U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear facilities and designated U.S. military bases in the Middle East as targets for retaliation.
On the 22nd (local time), the IRGC stated, "We have identified and monitored the flight paths of the aircraft involved in the invasion," and argued that "the number, distribution, and size of U.S. military bases in the region are not strengths but weaknesses." This information was reported by the semi-official news agency TASS.
The IRGC warned, "The U.S. has repeated its foolish acts that have previously failed, exposing its strategic incompetence and ignorance of the realities in the region," adding, "Iran has chosen the right to self-defense against the invasion of the U.S. terrorist regime, and the invaders should expect regretful responses."
According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) think tank in Washington, D.C., the number of U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East is approximately 40,000. Although this is a slight reduction compared to the past, the force remains considerable, with most troops affiliated with naval vessels such as aircraft carriers.
Currently, there are at least 19 U.S. military bases located in various countries in the Middle East, of which 8 are estimated to be permanent bases. In addition to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the naval support base in Bahrain, the Arifjan Base in Kuwait, and the Al Dhafra Base in the UAE, there are U.S. military bases in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt.
Naval forces are also concentrated in the waters of the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson strike group has been deployed near Oman, and the USS Nimitz strike group is also en route to the Middle East. Mine countermeasure ships and destroyers are consistently deployed in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean for mine-clearing and securing shipping lanes.