Acting Navy secretary says Iran ‘blew the hell out of’ US base in Bahrain: Report

Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao told reporters that the Iranian military had severely damaged a U.S. naval installation in Bahrain, using the phrase that Iran "blew the hell out of" the base, according to a report from The Hill. The comments were published in The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter.

Cao’s acknowledgment framed the incident as substantial damage to a major Navy facility, though the excerpt from the report does not supply further operational details. The published line is notable for its blunt description and for coming from a senior Navy official speaking publicly about the event.

The Hill’s newsletter item as provided does not include information on when the damage occurred, the exact extent of the damage, whether there were any casualties, or any immediate responses from U.S. or Bahraini authorities. Those specifics were not present in the excerpt and would need confirmation from official statements or follow-up reporting.

Given the limited information in the available report, further updates from the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, Bahrain’s government, or other authoritative sources would be required to clarify the timing, scope and implications of the incident. Cao’s comments, as reported, have nevertheless drawn attention to a direct attack on U.S. naval infrastructure in the Gulf region.