Pentagon chief does not rule out withdrawing US troops from Middle East bases

The War Department does not rule out withdrawing US troops from a number of American bases in the Middle East that were damaged during the war against Iran.

Report informs that Pete Hegseth, the head of the department, told journalists at the US Embassy in Singapore.

Hegseth said the decision would be made by US President Donald Trump, based on the direction in which he intended to move. He added that the United States highly valued its partnerships in the region.

Commenting on the possibility of not rebuilding some bases in the region and withdrawing troops from them, the Pentagon chief said US forces were currently in position and ready to resume combat operations if Iran refused a deal to resolve the conflict.

At the same time, Hegseth expressed confidence that Tehran would abandon its nuclear ambitions during negotiations with the United States.

He stressed that the US president will make those decisions in the future, depending on how the process ends, but said he was confident that a deal would be reached that will serve the interests of the American people.