The Wall Street Journal reports that the United States is withdrawing four Patriot missile defence systems from Saudi Arabia. Dozens of troops are also leaving the country because it has been announced that there is no longer a direct threat to US strategic interests in the region.
Washington is also considering reducing its “other military capabilities” in Saudi Arabia. Two U.S. fighter jets have already left the area, and U.S. officials say they are assessing a reduction in their naval forces in the Persian Gulf.
The United States is working to remove Patriot missile systems from Saudi Arabia and reduce its military presence there. The Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as saying that the United States was withdrawing four Patriot missile defence systems from Saudi Arabia. It has also withdrawn dozens of troops from the country, citing the fact that Iran no longer poses a direct threat to US strategic interests in the region. Al Jazeera reported on Friday (May 19th) that the Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed US officials as saying on Thursday that the transfer of Patriot systems had not been announced in advance. Two US fighter jets have already left the area, and US officials say they are assessing a reduction in their naval forces in the Persian Gulf. These reductions are said to be due to the fact that, according to US officials, Iran is no longer an immediate threat to US strategic interests.
Al Jazeera writes that Saudi officials did not respond to Reuters’ questions. The report also said that Iran had denied any involvement in the attack on Saudi facilities. U.S. officials say the January attack, along with Corona, has reduced the ability to carry out threats. Pentagon decision-makers and planners plan to make a change of direction and approach to address other priorities, including efforts to counteract China’s influence in East Asia. Traditional and warm relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have recently cooled, and Al Jazeera has been “damaged” by the price war over oil between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
According to a Reuters report last week, Trump told the Saudi Crown Prince in early April that he would not be able to deter lawmakers from passing a law to remove US troops from the kingdom until OPEC cut oil prices. Oil prices rose 11 percent on Thursday after Saudi Arabia announced it would raise prices to improve the situation. This price increase is the opposite of what happened earlier this year when Saudi Arabia sold its oil at high discounts and sparked a price war.
However, although Wal-Strait had announced that four missile defence systems would be withdrawn from Saudi Arabia, some sources told the US Hill that Washington would reduce the number of Patriots in Saudi Arabia from two to four, as well as two other Patriots from another country. It goes out in the area. A U.S. official said patrols were scheduled to be withdrawn last March but were delayed following rocket attacks on the al-Taji camp in Iraq. He stressed that 12 firearms from Patriot missiles and one firearm from Todd air defence missiles remain in the area.
Al-Jazeera adds that some of the hard-line military forces that are now leaving Saudi Arabia entered the country last September following attacks on Saudi oil facilities. US Secretary of Defense Mark Spear told a news conference that the move was crucial to protecting Saudi oil infrastructure. Al Jazeera also quoted the Wall Street Journal as saying that the US government’s decision could be seen as the end of Saudi Arabia’s military strengthening against Iran.
The report also states that the United States is considering reducing its “other military capabilities” in Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal writes that the US government has strengthened its military presence in the region over the past year.
