Recent Iranian attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East have amplified concerns among communities near American installations worldwide, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. The retaliatory strikes, launched after U.S. operations against Iran, have resulted in casualties and damaged facilities, prompting a re-evaluation of the security implications for host nations.
The United States maintains a substantial global military footprint with approximately 750 installations in 80 countries. Bases in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have recently been targeted by Iran. Analystshave speculated about what these attacks and the subsequent damages to the bases might mean for U.S. basing in the region, including potential base closures.
For the 80 countries hosting U.S. military facilities, the events raise critical questions about their own security. This is especially pertinent in the Indo-Pacific, where tensions between the U.S. and China are high, and key U.S. security partners like Japan and South Korea host significant troop deployments—the largest and third largest, respectively.
In the Philippines, policymakers have voiced worries that granting the U.S. basing access effectively marks their territory as a target for adversaries like China. This sentiment, often voiced by peace and anti-base activists, suggests that U.S. bases and their surrounding communities could become focal points for aggression from U.S. enemies or those opposed to the host nation.
Similar concerns have been raised in Okinawa, Japan, where activists argue the large U.S. base presence makes the prefecture a prime target in potential conflicts, particularly amid rising U.S.-China tensions over the Taiwan Strait. In South Korea, the 2017 installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Soseong village was met with apprehension that it would make the community an initial target in any conflict involving the U.S., North Korea, or China.
While activist protests do not always reflect broader public opinion, surveys from the 2010s indicated generally positive or neutral attitudes towards U.S. military presence in most host countries. In the Indo-Pacific, 76 percent of Filipino respondents showed favorable attitudes, followed by 52 percent in South Korea and 50 percent in Australia. Japan had a lower rate at 34 percent, though still higher than unfavorable views.
However, a more recent survey conducted after the onset of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict suggests a shift, with many U.S. host countries now holding net negative opinions. Despite this trend, Indo-Pacific partners like South Korea and Japan continue to show relatively high support for U.S. bases, with net positive opinions of 14 and 2, respectively. The Philippines and Australia also reported more positive or undecided views than negative ones.
These findings suggest that peace activists in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere will likely intensify their framing of U.S. bases as potential targets. The recent attacks in the Middle East lend credibility to this narrative, making the threat appear more tangible to citizens in host nations.
While this perception may grow, it does not automatically translate into widespread support for U.S. troop withdrawal or base closures, especially in countries like South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, which have increasingly aligned with the U.S. on security matters. However, this could pose a greater challenge for Indo-Pacific nations attempting to maintain neutrality between the U.S. and China. Furthermore, the situation might spur increased public support for developing independent military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, even among long-standing U.S. allies.
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 4th battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2d Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, participate in a field training exercise at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, June 30, 2026.
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