WASHINGTON—The Pentagon is relocating jet fighters, armed drones, and other aircraft to Qatar, shifting its forces to bypass restrictions on conducting airstrikes from a long-standing U.S. air base in the United Arab Emirates.
In February, the U.A.E. informed the U.S. that it would no longer allow American warplanes and drones based at Al Dhafra air base in Abu Dhabi to carry out strikes in Yemen and Iraq. Consequently, U.S. commanders have decided to deploy additional aircraft to Al Udeid air base in Qatar, a small Persian Gulf monarchy that has not imposed similar restrictions, according to U.S. officials. The move highlights the escalating tensions between Washington and some Persian Gulf countries that have granted the U.S. access to their territory but are cautious about being involved in a regional conflict as the eight-month-old war in Gaza continues to spread.
The U.S. has access to numerous bases across the Middle East, which it has utilized in recent months to conduct airstrikes in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. It has also intercepted drones and missiles over the Red Sea and in the airspace over Jordan and other countries.
However, as regional tensions escalate, the U.A.E. has become increasingly concerned about being targeted by Iranian proxies in the region if it is perceived to be openly supporting U.S. military operations, officials said. "Restrictions have been imposed on strike missions against targets in Iraq and Yemen," a U.A.E. official told The Wall Street Journal, explaining the decision to limit U.S. warplanes based in its territory from conducting airstrikes. "Those restrictions are coming from a place of self-protection." Iraq and Yemen were declared off-limits to attacks from aircraft based at Al Dhafra because the U.S. was slow to act in defending the U.A.E. after it came under attack from militias in those countries in early 2022, according to the Emirati official.
The U.S. recently negotiated with the Qataris to deploy additional jet fighters, reconnaissance planes, and armed drones to Al Udeid, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
U.S. drones have played a crucial role in American attacks in Yemen, targeting missile launchers and other Houthi targets. Last month, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone with a surface-to-air missile, releasing footage of the wreckage. The Pentagon confirmed that one of its drones crashed in Yemen, marking the third MQ-9 lost during the conflict with the Houthis in the past six months.
U.S. airstrikes in Yemen have not stopped the Houthis from targeting ships in the Red Sea, and even a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict might not halt the attacks, Avril Haines, the U.S. director of national intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "They continue to produce a significant amount of drones and other weapons systems, and of course, they are also receiving assistance from the Iranians in this regard," Haines said.
Last month, Iran launched over 120 ballistic missiles, more than 30 cruise missiles, and approximately 170 drones at Israel, following an Israeli airstrike in Syria that killed senior Iranian commanders. While the Saudis and Emiratis shared intelligence that aided Israel's defense, they have refrained from publicly disclosing their role further. In Yemen, the Houthis have carried out nearly 100 attacks on commercial vessels and naval forces operating in the region, including those of the U.S., according to a May 1 Congressional Research Service report. In response, the U.S. has targeted the Houthis with airstrikes to curtail the attacks and has pushed for a Gaza cease-fire as part of a deal to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The Houthis have stated that their attacks will cease when the Gaza conflict ends.
At the end of last month, for the first time, the Houthis targeted a containership sailing in the Indian Ocean with a drone, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors Red Sea attacks.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier that has conducted some of the manned aircraft strikes in recent months, is likely to leave the region by this summer and may not be replaced, according to U.S. officials. The carrier is currently in the Mediterranean Sea after completing a port visit in Greece.
The imminent departure of the carrier has increased the urgency for the Pentagon to transfer planes to Al Udeid, so the U.S. can continue its missions over Yemen, U.S. officials said. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that U.S. basing partnerships "remain critical to our efforts to collaborate with allies and partners to support security and stability in the region," but she declined to comment on specific basing agreements.
Al Udeid air base houses one of the largest hubs for U.S. military aircraft, as well as the U.S. Air Force's regional command center. It was crucial to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, facilitating a steady stream of cargo flights to evacuate Americans and Afghans and initially hosting refugees leaving.
Qatar, a Persian Gulf monarchy the size of Connecticut, has also long hosted Hamas's political leadership. It has been a key mediator in the effort to negotiate a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The U.A.E. has been a close partner for the Pentagon for several decades and has participated in half a dozen U.S.-led military campaigns in the region.
In addition to shifting operations to Qatar, the U.S. is contemplating launching strikes from Djibouti, in East Africa, according to U.S. officials.