From the UK to the Gulf, are US overseas bases becoming liabilities?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the recent war involving Iran has unsettled long-standing assumptions about the value of US overseas bases in Europe and the Gulf. The article says sites such as RAF Fairford in England, along with multiple facilities in the Middle East, have historically helped the United States project military power far from home, while also serving as security backstops for host countries.

According to the report, the US removed all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in October after concerns that the base was no longer secure amid what British officials described as an Iranian-linked threat. Al Jazeera also says Washington has withdrawn aircraft from RAF Mildenhall and moved some assets from Gulf bases after those facilities were hit during the conflict. The piece notes that Iran has cited the presence of US bases as part of its justification for striking nearby states, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The article argues that this creates a new dilemma for both Washington and its allies: bases can strengthen deterrence and support missile defense or weapons delivery, but they may also invite retaliation in wars the host states did not choose. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera say the vulnerability of these installations is now more visible than before, potentially changing how governments in Europe and the Gulf weigh the costs and benefits of hosting American forces.