The Pentagon may decide to reduce US military presence in the Middle East, including a possible withdrawal from the Persian Gulf, after repeated Iranian attacks damaged American bases across the region, The Washington Post reported, citing eight sources. The Defense Department is assessing whether forces should remain at major installations in the Gulf and how extensively bases damaged during the war should be rebuilt, according to the report.
The Joint Staff and US Central Command (CENTCOM) are participating in the analysis, a senior Pentagon official said. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Bradley Cooper supports discussions about potentially shifting US forces westward from the Gulf, according to one source. The Defense Department has already indicated that some facilities may not be restored to their pre-conflict condition.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not ordered a formal review of the US military footprint in the region. Instead, officials have characterized the discussions as “prudent planning” that could help determine whether, and to what extent, damaged bases are rebuilt.
The Pentagon must also weigh how military resources are distributed as it considers its future posture.
“Decisions are going to have to be made on some of this stuff,” the official said.
CENTCOM ordinarily has about 40,000 troops positioned across nearly 20 sites stretching approximately 1,500 miles from Jordan to Oman.
Since early this year, however, the US has reinforced its presence with additional warships, fighter aircraft, air defense systems and other scarce military equipment. Those forces have been deployed to defend American personnel and support more than 13,000 strikes against Iran.
Some of the most permanent and largest US bases in the Middle East are located in the Persian Gulf.
Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, while other Gulf countries, including Kuwait, host US Army and Air Force assets.
