New Agreement Extends U.S. Military Presence in Qatar

Under the deal, American forces will retain a presence at Al Udeid Air Base for the next decade, according to media reports.

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, January 03, 2024 at 04:08 PM ET

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin greets Qatari Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah after arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on December 19, 2023. [Courtesy: Department of Defense]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. military will retain its presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for the next decade, an agreement confirmed by defense officials.
Al Udeid Air Base is the largest American military base in the Middle East, housing over 10,000 U.S. troops and serving as a critical hub for U.S. Central Command operations.
The deal reinforces the bilateral defense relationship, with Qatar committing significant resources to expand and enhance the base's capabilities.

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U.S. military forces will retain a presence at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for the next decade, according to a report.

Home to more than 10,000 U.S. troops, the air base southwest of Doha is a hub for U.S. Central Command operations and the largest American military base in the Middle East. The new agreement, which has not yet been announced publicly by the Biden administration, has been confirmed by numerous defense officials, CNN reported.