Pentagon Weighs Permanent Drawdown in Persian Gulf

The Pentagon is conducting an early-stage assessment of whether to permanently reduce the U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf, a potential strategic shift prompted by months of Iranian attacks that have inflicted severe damage on American bases. This evaluation, which examines if heavily damaged facilities should be abandoned instead of rebuilt, represents a significant reassessment of Washington’s longstanding security posture in the Middle East.

According to people familiar with the matter, the assessment is being led by the Pentagon’s policy office, with involvement from the Joint Staff and U.S. Central Command. A senior Pentagon official described the effort as "prudent planning" to guide decisions on rebuilding, noting that no formal review has been ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Central to the discussion is whether to pull back some of the roughly 40,000 U.S. troops normally stationed across nearly 20 sites in the region, with a primary focus on reducing exposure in the Gulf.

The reassessment follows sustained Iranian missile and drone strikes since the conflict escalated in February 2026. More than 200 U.S. military facilities have reportedly been...