YANBU, Saudi Arabia – The US military has operated a series of ports and air bases in Saudi Arabia’s western desert and developed basic capabilities to use in the event of a conflict with Iran, the region’s top US military commander said.
The use of the bases, not previously reported, has taken place in the past year or more as top military commanders seek alternatives to safely move troops and equipment in and out of the region and to reduce their exposure to Iran’s ballistic missiles. .
Several thousand US troops, fighter jets and other weapons have been stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia since 2019 to respond to regional threats from Iran.
The troops were sent by former President Donald Trump, who has close ties with Saudi leaders even after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey in 2018.
The Biden government has indicated its intention to take a tougher approach to Saudi Arabia, especially on human rights issues. However, Iran’s ongoing potential dangers have remained an important consideration, US officials indicated.