Long before last week’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and Iran’s retaliatory missile attack, the faint outline of a new American base appeared roughly 30 miles inland from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

The base was first visible in satellite imagery in early 2022. Its nascent existence hinted at what military planners had long anticipated: a sustained military conflict with Iran was entirely possible.

If that day ever came, the U.S. military would rely on more than just warplanes and naval ships. It would need a new way to transport and store supplies that lay farther from Iran than most American bases are, and would therefore be less vulnerable to attack.

While the base near the Red Sea, called Logistical Support Area Jenkins, has received little public attention, the images, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery, suggest it is likely to become a major logistical hub.

Until last year, L.S.A. Jenkins appeared to sit mostly idle. But since then, the site has been rapidly expanding, according to the Times analysis. Among the upgrades are expanded facilities for storing ammunition and housing troops as well as improvements to base security.

It could prove crucial if the United States and Iran, or its proxies, end up in another military confrontation. Whether the base played a role in Saturday’s one-off strike mission against Iran is unclear.