The US has reached an agreement to extend its military presence at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for another 10 years.
The deal was unofficially unveiled by US defense sources to CNN.
The Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US military installation in the Middle East, capable of housing more than 10,000 troops.
Qatar is one of the US’ non-NATO allies, allowing the use of its air base in Doha to promote the alliance’s anti-war efforts in the Gulf.
The move comes amid Qatar’s mediation in releasing 110 hostages held by Hamas in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Partnership in the Gulf
In December, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and stressed the importance of its ally’s “vital regional leadership” role. He also thanked them for their increased military spending on the base.
Aside from its presence at the air base, the US has bolstered Qatar’s defenses by partnering on major arms deals.
In 2022, the US signed a $1 billion sale of FS-LIDS counter-drone systems to Qatar to help improve its defense against unmanned aerial vehicles.
The country also previously sold BAE-developed guided rockets for Qatar’s Apache helicopters.
