US Central Command Rejects Middle East Force Withdrawal

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, announced during a summit in Germany that the United States has no plans to withdraw its forces from the Middle East. Cooper informed military officials from Israel and seven Arab nations—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt—that the U.S. military will remain in the region and intends to expand shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement follows a Pentagon Inspector General report stating that Iranian attacks have destroyed hundreds of buildings on U.S. bases, including a CIA outpost in Saudi Arabia. These findings emerged amid internal Pentagon discussions regarding the possibility of a smaller military footprint in the region.

While Central Command characterized the summit as a conference to enhance security cooperation, reports indicate that Israel and Saudi Arabia used the meeting to discuss Israeli support for Riyadh in the war against Ansar Allah in Yemen. This comes as the Houthis have declared blockades on Israeli and Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.