US relocates unwanted Air Force operations from UAE to Qatar: WSJ

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Wall Street Journal
4 May 2024 16:24
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An Emirati official says that Abu Dhabi fears that US operations against Yemen and Iraq will draw the country into a regional conflict.

A United States Air Force F-22 Raptor arrives at al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on February 12, 2022. (AP)

The United States is transferring en mass its fighter jets, armed drones, and other aircraft from its airbase in the United Arab Emirates to Qatar after the latter refused to let its territory be used as a launching point for attacks on Iraq and Yemen, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The Pentagon's massive repositioning scheme comes against the backdrop of intensifying regional tensions that have been translated into limited military action across West Asia.

According to WSJ, the UAE informed the US in February that it would no longer permit American warplanes and drones to carry out attacks against targets in Yemen and Iraq from al-Dhafra Airbase without the prior knowledge of Emirati officials.

On their part, US commanders transferred aircraft to al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar, a US official told WSJ.

The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has promoted members of the Axis of Resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain to launch military operations in support of the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, "Israel's" staunchest ally, the US, deployed substantial forces to West Asia to launch aggression against Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.

WSJ says that the latest revelation highlights growing tensions between Washington and some Gulf states that have allowed American forces to be deployed in their countries. In detail, these governments, such as the UAE, are worried about being drawn into the conflict.

Abu Dhabi fears that it would be targeted by the Axis of Resistance due to US military operations launched from its territories. An Emirati official said that the imposed restrictions come "from a place of self-protection."

The official also criticized the US for being "slow" to defend the UAE on previous occasions when it was attacked for leading the war on Yemen in early 2022.

Since October 7, the US military has militarized West Asia's waterways launching multiple aggression on Yemen, while attempting to provide Israeli-affiliated ships with protection in the Red Sea. Moreover, the US has provided Israeli assets in occupied Palestine with anti-air protection, while continuously aiding the Israeli military with satellite imagery, drone surveillance, and consultation. The Pentagon has also ordered multiple aggressions on Syria and Iraq, intensifying its attacks on the two countries.