America withdraws its aircraft from the largest military base in the Middle East.
America withdraws its aircraft from the largest military base in the Middle East.
2025-06-20 06:58
Shafaq News/ Images captured by Planet Labs BBC satellites between June 5 and 19 revealed that one of the largest US bases in the Middle East has been almost completely emptied of military aircraft.
According to the images, on June 5, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar housed approximately 40 military aircraft parked on the base’s tarmac, including large equipment carriers, troop carriers, reconnaissance aircraft, and C-130 Hercules special operations aircraft. However, the image taken on June 19 shows that only three transport aircraft remain visible at the base, according to Monte Carlo.
Washington advised its employees on Thursday to exercise extreme caution and to “temporarily restrict access” to Al Udeid Air Base, while the Trump administration continues to consider military intervention in the war on behalf of Israel against Iran.
The US president is expected to decide on joining Israel in striking Iran within the next two weeks. If Iran participates in military strikes, it is expected that it will respond by targeting the numerous US bases in the region. This would put Al Udeid Air Base at risk, as it is less than 300 kilometers from Iran.
The aircraft were likely moved to hangars on the site or to other bases in the region. While a US Defense Department official declined to discuss the specific locations of the assets, he told AFP, “We remain committed to maintaining operational security while executing our mission with the highest levels of readiness, lethality, and professionalism.”
In the same context, an additional aircraft carrier is heading to the region, while major air movements are being recorded.
The military base, which is now the headquarters of the US Central Command in the Middle East, was built by Qatar in 1996 at a cost of $1 billion. The US military secretly used the base in its 2001 war on Afghanistan. In 2002, the official announcement was made that US forces would be stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
During his visit to the base last May, Trump announced a $10 billion Qatari investment there.
shafaq.com
