YANBU, Saudi Arabia – The US military has used a number of ports and air bases in the western desert of Saudi Arabia, developing basic options to use in the event of a conflict with Iran, according to the region’s top US military commander.
The use of bases, which has not been reported before, has taken place in the last year or so as top military commanders are looking for alternatives to safely move troops and materials to and from the region and reduce their exposure to Iran’s ballistic missiles. .
Several thousand American soldiers, fighter jets and other weapons have been stationed at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia since 2019 to respond to Iran’s regional threats.
The troops were sent by former President Donald Trump, who cultivated close ties with Saudi leaders even after the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in 2018.
The Biden administration has indicated that it intends to take a tougher approach to Saudi Arabia, especially with regard to human rights issues. However, the continuation of the potential dangers posed by Iran remained an important issue, US officials said.