WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has begun reviewing the future of the US military presence in the Middle East following the war with Iran, raising the possibility that Washington could reduce its forces and reassess its military bases in the Persian Gulf, according to The Washington Post.
Citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported that the Pentagon is examining whether American troops should be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf.
The review is seen as an early indication that the conflict with Iran could lead to changes in the U.S. military footprint across the region.
US military bases in the Gulf sustained significant damage during Iranian attacks during the conflict. The damage has prompted the Pentagon to reconsider whether the facilities should be rebuilt to their prewar scale.
According to people familiar with the review, the Pentagon’s policy office is leading the assessment, while the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Central Command are also examining the issue.
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had not formally ordered a review of the U.S. military presence in the region. Instead, the assessment was described as “prudent planning” that could eventually help the administration decide whether to rebuild bases damaged during the war.
US Central Command oversees American military operations in the Middle East. The United States typically maintains about 40,000 troops at roughly 20 locations across a region stretching about 1,500 miles from Jordan to Oman.
The Gulf is home to some of the largest and most permanent U.S. military facilities in the Middle East. Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, while American military and air assets are also based in countries including Kuwait.
The review could intensify an existing debate within the Trump administration between officials who support continued military engagement in the region and those who argue that the Pentagon should scale back some operations to focus more heavily on defending the U.S. homeland and preparing for potential conflicts with major powers such as China.
According to a US official cited by The Washington Post, Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, may support moving some American forces westward from the Persian Gulf.
However, people familiar with the Pentagon’s assessment cautioned that any permanent change to the US military presence remains a long way off. Any major restructuring or withdrawal would require formal approval from senior administration officials.