Inside America’s Military Footprint in the Middle East: Over 40,000 Troops Amid Rising Tensions

The sprawling network of U.S. military bases across the Middle East represents one of the largest overseas deployments in American history. According to recent reports, roughly 40,000 U.S. military personnel and civilian staff are stationed throughout more than a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Syria, and others.At the center of this deployment is Al Udeid Air Base near Doha, Qatar—America’s largest base in the region housing approximately 10,000 service members. This facility serves as an advanced headquarters for Central Command (CENTCOM) and acts as a strategic launching pad for operations in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Its importance was...