Retired U.S. Central Command (Centcom) commander General Frank McKenzie says the United States should shift parts of its military basing footprint in the Gulf toward Israel and nearby western alternatives to reduce vulnerability to Iran’s missiles and drones. Speaking at a webinar, McKenzie argues that current deployments leave key assets within relatively quick strike range of Iran, describing the existing basing arrangement as a legacy of Cold War and later Iraq and Afghanistan era assumptions. He points to al-Udeid air base in Qatar, located close enough to Iran to be a liability, and says that the basing “strategy does not match the reality on the ground.”

McKenzie said that in 2022 he and other officials raised concerns with the Biden administration, urging that U.S. forces be dispersed to the west, including to Israel and Egypt, but that the idea was “aggressively” shut down. He also supports maintaining a Gulf presence for solidarity while using Gulf facilities as logistical support such as refuelling, while shifting long-term positioning elsewhere. McKenzie adds that Israel is attractive because it would likely face fewer airspace and overflight restrictions and could offer stronger air-defense capabilities. He cautions that satellite assessments may misjudge whether bases are fully operational after damage, since runways and underground systems can remain usable.