Where are the US bases in the Middle East located?
The largest US base in the Middle East is located in Qatar, called Al Udeid Air Base and built in 1996. Other countries where the US also has bases include Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Military vehicles flying Jordanian and US flags take part in a military exercise in Zarqa, Jordan on September 14, 2022. Photo: Reuters
The US has operated bases around the Middle East for decades. At its peak, there were more than 100,000 US troops operating in Afghanistan in 2011 and more than 160,000 in Iraq in 2007.
While that number is much lower after the US withdraws from Afghanistan in 2021, there are still about 30,000 US troops scattered across the region. In addition, the US has temporarily sent thousands of additional troops to the region since the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip began in October, including on warships.
The US also has about 900 troops in Syria, stationed at small bases such as the al Omar and al-Shaddadi oil fields, mostly in the northeast of the country. The US also has a small outpost near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan, called the Al Tanf garrison.
In Iraq, the US has 2,500 personnel spread across bases such as Union III Air Base and Ain al-Asad. However, the future of these troops still depends on the withdrawal negotiations between the Iraqi government and the US military here.
Why does the US have bases in the Middle East?
The US military is stationed in the Middle East for a variety of reasons. In some countries, such as Iraq and Syria, they are there to fight against the Islamic State (IS) group and to advise local forces. But over the years, US troops have come under attack and have been attacked by militant forces.
Jordan, a key US ally in the region, hosts hundreds of US military personnel and holds extensive exercises throughout the year.
In Qatar and the UAE, the US military presence is intended to reassure allies, conduct training and be used as needed in regional operations.
Meanwhile, there are no foreign military bases on US soil.
Are US bases in the Middle East often attacked?
US bases are heavily guarded facilities, including air defense systems to protect against missiles or drones. Bases in countries like Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait are generally immune to attack.
Satellite image of the US military outpost known as Tower 22 in Rukban, Rwaished, Jordan. Photo: Planet Labs PBC
However, U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria have come under frequent attack in recent years. Since October 7, U.S. troops have been attacked by insurgents more than 160 times, leaving about 80 wounded, even before Sunday’s attack on Tower 22.
Tower 22, the site of a drone strike on Sunday that killed three US soldiers, holds a strategically important position in Jordan, at the northeasternmost point where the country's borders meet Syria and Iraq.
Specifically, Tower 22 is located near the Al Tanf garrison in Syria, just across the border and home to a small number of US troops. Al Tanf has been a key location in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and has served as part of the US strategy to prevent an Iranian military buildup in eastern Syria.
Hoai Phuong (according to Reuters)
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