DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The United States referred to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates as ‘key security partners’ early Saturday, a previously unheard-of indication of the two countries where major US military operations are taking place.
A White House statement linked the designation with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, normalizing ties with Israel, saying it “reflects their extraordinary courage, determination and leadership.” It also noted that the two countries have long participated in US military exercises.
It is unclear what the designation means for Bahrain, an island kingdom off Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, and the UAE, a federation of seven sheikdoms home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, while the UAE’s Jebel Ali port is the busiest port of call for US warships outside the US. Bahrain is home to about 5,000 US troops, while the UAE is home to 3,500, many of them at Al-Dhafra Air Base.
The US is already using the term “major non-NATO ally” to describe its relationship with Kuwait, which houses US Army Central’s front command. That designation gives a country special financial and military considerations for countries that are not part of NATO. Bahrain is also a non-NATO ally.
The US Army Central Command and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The 5th Fleet referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The designation to the White House comes in the last days of President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump forged close ties with the Arab Gulf states during his tenure, in part because of his tough stance on Iran. That led to a series of escalating incidents between the countries after Trump unilaterally withdrew from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.
It also comes after Bahrain and the UAE joined Egypt and Saudi Arabia to begin a solution to a years-long boycott of Qatar, another Gulf Arab nation home to Al-Udeid Air Base that is the forward base of the Central Command. That boycott began in the early days of Trump’s tenure after he visited Saudi Arabia on his first trip abroad.
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