The Pentagon is removing missile defense systems from the Middle East as the U.S. ramps up its rhetoric against Iran, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Defense Secretary James Mattis is withdrawing two Patriot missile systems from Kuwait, one from Jordan and one from Bahrain next month as part of a realignment of security architecture to counter threats from Russia and China, according to the report.
{mosads}Patriot missile systems are mobile units capable of shooting down missiles and planes. They have been used primarily for defense purposes, protecting U.S. assets in the region as well as their allies.
Some systems will remain in the region, but officials said the removals are a major drawdown, according to the report.
Despite this being one of the most tangible indications of the Pentagon’s strategy to shift focus to Russia and China, it comes at the same time that the White House is ramping up its rhetoric against Iran.
The State Department on Tuesday released a report which highlights the threat that Iran’s missile capabilities pose to stability in the region. It said Iran has “a stockpile of hundreds of missiles that threaten its neighbors in the region.”
All three countries where Patriot systems are being removed house U.S. troops. Bahrain contains the naval base where the Fifth Fleet, which patrols the Persian Gulf and Middle East, is homeported, while thousands of personnel are deployed in Kuwait and some special forces operate in Jordan.