Pentagon Pulling Patriot Missile Systems from Saudi Arabia

The US military is removing Patriot antimissile systems from Saudi Arabia as part of a shift of forces and equipment in the region, a US official confirmed.

The Wall Street Journal first reported o Thursday that Washington is moving four Patriot missile batteries from the region.

Another US official confirmed to The Hill that two Patriot systems will come from Saudi Arabia — along with the roughly 300 military personnel deployed to man them.

The official also confirmed that two additional Patriot systems will leave the region, as have two US jet fighter squadrons.

The Hill quoted the official as saying that the move happened as there is the feeling in Washington that “threats from Iran are no longer immediate.”

With the redistribution, the U.S. military will now have two Patriots in Saudi Arabia as opposed to four.

Source: The Hill