Pentagon studies smaller Gulf footprint after costly Iran conflict

In the wake of the Iran war, the Pentagon has begun an early-stage assessment of whether the United States should maintain a smaller military footprint in the Persian Gulf. Damage to over 200 bases and the loss of six service members in a Kuwait strike have prompted the policy office, Joint Staff and U.S. Central Command to explore post-war force levels and the feasibility of rebuilding heavily damaged sites. The United States currently stations about 40,000 troops across nearly 20 locations from Jordan to Oman, with key facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and other Gulf states.

Planners are considering moving troops and equipment farther west—to Jordan, Israel or Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast—to lessen exposure to Iranian missiles and drones. While some voices within the administration favor a broader pullback to focus on homeland defense and China, others argue for a stronger regional presence, including proposals to shift forces to Israel’s Ovda Airbase. Any permanent shift would require senior approval and could reshape a decades-old security arrangement with Gulf partners.