Commander of Central Command (CENTCOM) Adm. Brad Cooper organized a meeting of Israeli and Arab military officials. At the summit, he informed his counterparts that the US military has no plans to withdraw its forces from the Middle East. 

Axios reported speaking with two Israeli officials who said representatives from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt attended the summit hosted by Cooper in Germany last week. 

According to the Israeli officials, Cooper told his counterparts the US military would not withdraw its forces from the region despite Iranian attacks on US bases and that Washington planned to expand shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Earlier this month, CNN reported that it spoke with six officials who said there were quiet conversations ongoing on reducing the US military presence in the Middle East. Senior Pentagon officials have privately made clear that they want a smaller US military footprint in several Gulf states after the conflict.

While the US is maintaining tens of thousands of soldiers in the Middle East during the war, many of the permanent military bases and intelligence facilities have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict with Iran. CNN reported that it spoke with an official who said the CIA outpost in Saudi Arabia was destroyed. 

Some military and intelligence facilities destroyed during the conflict may not be rebuilt or replaced. Some officials are considering having US special operations and intelligence personnel based in America and travel to the Middle East for specific missions.

Future military bases in the Middle East may be moved underground to protect them in future conflicts.

CENTCOM confirmed the meeting, saying Cooper “hosted senior military leaders from eight nations during a scheduled conference in Germany. The leaders discussed opportunities for enhancing security cooperation in the Middle East.”

At the summit, according to a source familiar with the matter who told Axios, Israel and Saudi Arabia discussed how Tel Aviv could support Riyadh in the war against Ansar Allah in Yemen. Ansar Allah has declared blockades targeting Israeli and Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. 

Ansar Allah says its blockade on Israeli shipping is a response to the genocide in Gaza, while its restrictions on Saudi shipping are retaliation for Riyadh’s renewed military campaign in Yemen.