US military arsenal in Middle East

ISLAMABAD: From navy warships to nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the United States is enhancing its military presence in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

Last week, the Pentagon directed two destroyer warships in the Mediterranean to get nearer to Israel. Reports indicate that the USS Sullivans Destroyer has also arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean this week, alongside the USS Thomas Hudner Destroyer, for continued defence operations, while the Arleigh Burke destroyer has exited the area, according to a US official. On Tuesday, the US transferred twelve F-16 fighter jets from a base in Italy to Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the US has been relocating fighter jets, such as F-35s and F-22 Raptors, to its military installations in the Middle East. The US Air Force sent an extra 21 refueling planes and fighter jets to key positions across Europe, including locations in England, Spain, Germany, and Greece. It remains uncertain if these US movements are directly related to the conflict; however, one expert indicated that the flights of tanker aircraft were “very unusual,” as reported by the BBC.

While the American destroyers are currently intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at Israel, the USS Carl Vinson nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is also stationed in the Arabian Sea, accompanied by four warships in its strike group.

Furthermore, the USS Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is making its way west from the Indo-Pacific towards the Middle East. MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking platform, reported that the USS Nimitz’s last known position was in the Malacca Strait on its route to Singapore early Tuesday. Additionally, the USS Gerald R Ford — another nuclear-powered carrier — is also proceeding towards the European theater of operations within a week. The presence of this aircraft carrier, along with its supporting warships, will provide President Donald Trump with the option of deploying a third carrier group in the area if necessary, according to a western news agency.

These nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are equipped with several fighter jets and are supported by guided missile destroyers. Nimitz-class carriers are the largest vessels in the Navy, stretching nearly 1,100 feet from bow to stern.

Besides this, American destroyers are also located in the Red Sea, while others are stationed in the Western Mediterranean and taking part in exercises in the Baltic Sea. Last year, the US had deployed several Patriot air defense systems to the Middle East, including two transferred from the Indo-Pacific region. In October of last year, the US sent a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery, along with about 100 troops, to Israel to assist in intercepting missiles launched by Iran and its proxies.

There are at least 19 sites in the Middle East where the US has established its military bases. Among them 11 are temporary US bases and eight of them are permanent US bases.

Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are the Middle Eastern countries where the USA has established their military bases. Among these countries Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, Turkey and UAE are the ones where the USA has established its permanent military bases. As of mid-2025, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 US troops in the Middle East, comprising personnel stationed in both large, permanent bases and smaller forward sites across the region. The countries with the most US troops include Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These installations serve as critical hubs for air and naval operations, regional logistics, intelligence gathering and force projection.