DID Press: In an unprecedented move amid escalating tensions in Persian Gulf, Qatar has announced the start of U.S. troop withdrawals from its territory, making Doha the first Gulf state to formally take such a step. This development comes as U.S. bases in the region have faced repeated attacks in recent months, prompting Washington to relocate part of its forces from Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar “as a precaution.”
Qatar’s Foreign Minister, in rare remarks on Wednesday evening, stated: “Qatar has paid a heavy price for hosting foreign bases. Our relationship with Iran is fraternal, and we will not allow harm to come through Qatari soil again.”
These comments follow repeated attacks on Al-Udeid, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, which have damaged some equipment. Earlier reports indicated that the U.S. had already evacuated hundreds of personnel from the base to safer locations.
Analysts believe that, if finalized, this decision could reshape the security balance in the Gulf and increase pressure on other countries hosting U.S. forces—especially as Iran has warned that any U.S. attack would make host bases “legitimate targets.”