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The United States of America has great military weight in the Middle East, as about 30,000 of its soldiers are permanently stationed in dozens of military bases spread in more than 15 countries in the region, in addition to tens of thousands more that change according to occasions and circumstances, with a huge arsenal of weapons and military equipment. Advanced, as well as the military fleets permanently present in the waters surrounding the region, in addition to temporary reinforcements in times of tension and crises.
American forces receive extensive facilities that include conducting joint military maneuvers, the right to use airspace, ports, airports, and camps, and access to fuel, maintenance, and weapons storage services in most countries in the region, which gave them extreme freedom and flexibility in movement by land, air, and sea.
The United States aims through its military presence to protect its interests in the region, eliminate what it calls “terrorist groups,” support its allies in the region, conduct military training and maneuvers and provide advice, and also works to secure the flow of vital military aid to the Israeli occupation.
Permanent presence
By the last decade of the twentieth century, the American military presence in the Middle East began to take on a fixed and regular character, through the establishment of military bases in the region that included permanent forces, after the common form was temporary military facilities in a limited scope.
The Second Gulf War, which broke out in 1991, was a major catalyst for the transformation, as more than 500,000 American soldiers were deployed in Saudi Arabia within the framework of Operation Desert Shield, in which 697,000 American soldiers participated (according to figures from the US Department of Defense), and as a result America became It has military bases in the region, which have enabled its forces to carry out large-scale military operations and launch land, sea and air attacks.
America supported its military presence in the region with huge military fleets, such as: the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, and the US Seventh Fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The fleets are permanently stationed in the seas surrounding the region, carry a large arsenal of weapons, and include naval, land and air forces.
The size of US forces
The size of US forces in the region fluctuated depending on the development of events. In addition to the permanent forces, the escalation of events in the region and outside it leads to the strengthening, redeployment, or reduction of these forces.
In areas of tension and war, the United States increases the flow of its forces, then reduces them as tension in the region decreases, and sometimes redeploys them to other regions.
The United States maintained a huge military presence in Afghanistan for two decades, in the period between 2001 and 2021, and at the peak the number of those forces reached more than 100,000 soldiers, before America withdrew its forces from the country in 2021.
This was also the case in Iraq, which included 160,000 American soldiers in some years of the American invasion, which began in 2003 (according to US Department of Defense figures), and American forces continued in Iraq until 2011, when most of them were withdrawn.
American forces participated in Iraq in 2014 in the fight against ISIS, and at the end of 2017 their military presence began to be reduced, and only a small number of forces remained, carrying out, according to what the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) stated, advisory tasks, not combat, mostly centered around Military training and intelligence cooperation.
With the term of former President Barack Obama between 2008 and 2016, America began to take a trend towards reducing its military forces in the Middle East, as the number of permanent forces decreased from 74,000 in 2008 to 28,000 in 2016.
Former President Donald Trump was not enthusiastic about foreign military operations, but the crisis that escalated with Iran since 2019 turned the tables, prompting America to strengthen its forces again to preserve its interests in the region.
The outbreak of the Russian war on Ukraine in early 2022 affected the American military presence in the Middle East, so that the United States redeployed larger forces in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and also increased its forces in the South China Sea, and reduced their number in the Middle East.
Since 2019, the United States has changed the strategy for deploying its forces in the Middle East, supporting the concentration of air forces, naval forces, and teams of Marines, while reducing its ground forces.
Support Israel
The number of American forces in the Middle East region in the summer of 2023 reached about 30,000 soldiers (according to US Department of Defense figures), and then Washington reinforced this number in support of Israel in the wake of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle that took place in the settlements surrounding Gaza on October 7, 2023. By deploying the USS Gerald Ford attack aircraft carrier, which is accompanied by a naval force that includes about 5,000 marines, and a group of warplanes, cruisers, and destroyers.
Then it was attached to the aircraft carrier "Eisenhower", which is powered by nuclear power, carries about 5,000 soldiers on board, and can carry up to 9 squadrons of aircraft, which includes fighters, helicopters, and reconnaissance aircraft, in addition to cruisers and missile destroyers.
It also sent 900 members of rapid intervention units to the region, with the aim of supporting regional deterrence efforts and enhancing the protection capabilities of American forces, and placed about 2,000 individuals and groups in a state of high readiness for deployment, and also strengthened the missile defense systems in the region.
Areas where American forces are stationed in the Middle East
American forces are deployed in more than 15 countries in the Middle East, in accordance with bilateral treaties and understandings, or at the request of the host country.
The size of the forces varies from one country to another. While the United States has only a small number of forces in some countries, it has recorded an intense presence of its forces, with more than 10,000 soldiers in other countries, especially in the Arab Gulf states.
The following are the most important countries in the Middle East in which there is a prominent American military presence:
Qatar
The American military presence in Qatar began within the framework of a security cooperation agreement between the two countries in 1992, and Qatar accordingly became a major ally of America in the region.
Qatar hosts about 13,000 American soldiers, and has an American military base, “Al Udeid Base,” which is the largest American military facility in the Middle East, and the largest American air base abroad.
This base is considered the headquarters of: the US Central Command, the US Air Forces Central Command, the Joint Air and Space Operations Center, the 379th Infantry Wing for Air Missions, and the 319th Expeditionary Group.
Qatar included 3 other American military facilities before 2021, namely “Al-Sailiya Base,” “Sailiya Camp,” and the “Falcon” ammunition supply point.
These facilities were used as a logistical support center and a warehouse for storing military equipment, and the mission of the “Area Support Group,” which was managing the three facilities, was transferred to Jordan.
Kuwait
In 1991, Kuwait established military cooperation with the United States through a defense agreement, under which thousands of American forces were stationed in Kuwait, which became a major logistical base for American and coalition operations during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and later contributed to the process of withdrawal of American forces and the withdrawal of its military equipment from Iraq. Its territory was also used in the operations of the international coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
There are more than 13,000 American soldiers in Kuwait (according to US State Department figures in 2021) stationed in many military sites, the most important of which are:
Arifjan Base:
It is the largest American military base in Kuwait, and represents the main headquarters of American forces in the country.
Ali Al Salem Air Base:
It includes the 386th US Air Force Division, which is an air transport hub and a support force for the joint forces and international coalition forces in the region.
Camp Doha Base
: It is the headquarters of the Central Command of the US-Kuwaiti Army, the Joint Task Force, and members of the US Third Infantry Division.
Puring Base:
It has advanced radars used in low visibility situations when aircraft land.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi-American military cooperation emerged during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The established American military presence in Saudi Arabia reached its peak at about 10,000 soldiers. In 2003, America reduced its forces, transferring most of them to the Qatari “Al Udeid Base,” and retained only about 2,700 soldiers in Saudi Arabia.
The tasks of the remaining American forces in Saudi Arabia are limited to training, advising, and protecting American interests in the region. They do not play a combat role and do not participate in the war against the Houthi group in Yemen (according to official American sources in 2022).
American forces work in coordination with the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, providing air and missile defense systems and the use of military aircraft, and have the right to use dozens of Saudi army facilities, in addition to two military bases:
Al-Iskan Air Base:
It is the headquarters of the 320th Air Group and the 64th Expeditionary Group.
Prince Sultan Air Base:
American forces settled there in 1990, remained there for 13 years, then withdrew from it in 2003. At the beginning of 2020, the United States returned to significantly strengthening its military presence at the base, following the escalation of tension with Iran.
The UAE
The UAE is an important ally of America, as it provides essential support to its military forces, aircraft, and ships in the Middle East region, and hosts 5,000 American military personnel and 3 military bases, which are:
Al Dhafra Air Base:
It is the main headquarters of the American forces in the Emirates. It is home to the American Air Deployment Unit 380, and it also provides logistical support services and refueling aircraft.
Jebel Ali Port:
It is very popular with the US Navy, and it includes a pier capable of serving aircraft carriers.
Fujairah Naval Base
: Its importance lies in the fact that it provides a logistical “land link” to Jebel Ali in the event of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
the two seas
America has deployed naval forces in Bahrain since 1948, and the two countries concluded security cooperation treaties in 1971 and 1991, according to which the country became an important center for support activities for the US Navy, and in 2022, there were more than 9,000 American soldiers stationed in 3 bases, which are:
Juffair Naval Base:
It is the only permanent coastal naval base in the Middle East. It is home to the Central Command of the US Naval Forces and the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet.
Sheikh Issa Air Base
: used in the war on Afghanistan.
There is an air support camp there.
Muharraq Air Base:
It is part of Bahrain International Airport, and the headquarters of the Joint Air Force 53.
Oman
America and Oman signed the “Access to Omani Facilities” agreement in 1980, under which American forces - which include about 600 soldiers in Oman - have the right to use 24 military facilities in the country, including airports, ports, and a group of military bases, the most prominent of which are:
Masirah Air Base
: It is used to operate spy planes, and has a monitoring station for water bodies in the region.
Gear Air Base:
It is used for air transport operations, and contains huge American ammunition stores.
Thumrait Air Base:
It includes stores of American equipment and weapons.
Iraq
After the elimination of ISIS, the US Department of Defense reduced the number of its forces present in Iraq, until it reached only about 2,500 members in 2021. The US authorities stated that these forces play an advisory role and do not participate in the fighting, and America owns many military bases in the country, the most prominent of which are:
Harir al-Maqam Air Base:
It is equipped with defensive missiles, combat aircraft, and advanced radars. It represents a crossing point for American forces between Syria and Iraq, and is an important center for securing the Kurdish regions.
Balad Air Base:
It is the largest base in Iraq, an important headquarters for American forces, and contains multiple military facilities.
Al-Habbaniya Base:
It contains camps, facilities for housing soldiers, airstrips, and weapons stores, in addition to schools for security education and command and control headquarters.
Ain al-Asad Air Base
:
It is the second largest base in Iraq, where most American forces are stationed, and it is considered a center for launching special operations.
Taji Base:
It includes an airport, a military base, missile depots, and ammunition stores.
Speicher Air Base:
It is a strategic base for controlling the conduct of operations in northern Iraq. It is considered a major center for managing air and missile operations, and the rapid intervention forces and air force are based there.
Syria
Starting at the end of 2015, American forces had a presence in Syria of about 2,000 soldiers, in order to support the fight against ISIS, and by the end of 2019 the number of forces decreased to about 900 members, stationed in a group of bases amounting to more than 20 bases, the most prominent of which are: “Kobani Base” (Ain al-Arab), “Tal Abyad Base,” “Rumaylan Base,” “Ain Issa Base,” “Al-Mabrouka Base,” and “Al-Tanf Base,” which is the largest American base in Syria, and contains a missile system.
Jordan
Jordan has close military cooperation with the United States, which sends hundreds of American trainers to conduct intensive military maneuvers, and has more than 2,800 soldiers in Jordan, with the aim of enhancing the country’s security and supporting regional stability (according to official American sources in the summer of 2022).
American forces are stationed at the Muwafaq Salti Air Base, and some of them are located in a small military site called Burj 22 Base, and other bases that America does not declare.
Jordan also provides military facilities to American forces in the port of Aqaba.
Israel
The American authorities do not disclose the number of their forces present in Israel, and deny the existence of military bases there.
American reports revealed the presence of at least one American military base in Israel bearing the code name “Site 512,” which contains a radar monitoring system that can detect and track ballistic missile threats. Israel also includes American military emergency stores.
Egypt
The US Army does not have a combat military base in Egypt, but there are about 600 soldiers within the international multinational force, which has been in Egypt since 1981 (according to US official sources in 2022).
Egypt also provides facilities to the US Navy in Egyptian ports, and facilities to the US Air Force at the West Cairo Air Base.
Türkiye
The United States has more than 1,000 soldiers in Turkey, and two military bases: Incirlik Air Base and Izmir Air Base.
Source: Al Jazeera + websites