US needs to move bases from Gulf to Israel, former Centcom commander says

What Happened

General Frank McKenzie, former commander of US Central Command (Centcom) from 28 March 2019 to 1 April 2022, stated at a Jewish Institute for National Security of America webinar that the US should relocate its military bases from the Gulf to Israel and neighboring countries. He described the current basing system, including al-Udeid air base in Qatar just 100 miles from Iran, as an 'artefact' vulnerable to Iranian missiles and drones. McKenzie revealed that in 2022 he and other officials proposed to the Biden administration moving bases westward to Israel and Egypt, but the idea was 'aggressively' rejected. He argued Israel is 'particularly attractive' because it would impose the fewest access, basing, and overflight (ABO) restrictions and offer superior air defence. The article also notes that Iran recently targeted US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, and that the US gained access to Taif Air Base in Saudi Arabia after Prince Sultan Air Base was hit.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

McKenzie's comments signal high-level military concern about the survivability of concentrated US bases near Iran, given the demonstrated reach and precision of Iranian missile and drone strikes. A westward shift could reconfigure US-Iran deterrence, potentially strain US relationships with Gulf partners if perceived as an abandonment, while deepening the US-Israel strategic alignment. The proposal also challenges decades-old basing assumptions from the Cold War and counterinsurgency eras, suggesting a fundamental reassessment of force posture in the Middle East.

Watch For

Monitor whether US defense officials publicly address basing posture reviews; any new basing agreements or military construction in Israel, Egypt, or along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast; further Iranian strikes on Gulf bases or intelligence assessments of their vulnerability; Congressional hearings or defense policy debates referencing McKenzie's proposal; and signals from Israel on the political feasibility of hosting permanent US bases.