(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Alimat Aliyeva
The United States is moving fighter jets, drones and militarytransport aircraft from the UAE to Qatar to circumvent restrictionson airstrikes from the Al-Dhafra air base in Abu Dhabi, Azernews reports.
The UAE informed the United States in February that it would nolonger allow American Air Force aircraft and drones based at theAl-Dhafra air base to strike Yemen and Iraq.
"Restrictions have been imposed on strike missions againsttargets in Iraq and Yemen," a UAE official told the newspaper."These measures were taken in the interests of self-defense," headded.
According to US officials, it was this decision that promptedthe American command to send planes to the Al-Udeid air base inQatar, where there are no such bans. As the newspaper notes, thissituation highlights "growing tensions between Washington and someGulf countries," which have allowed American troops to be based ontheir territory, but are afraid of being drawn into a regionalconflict.
The United States has access to several military bases in theMiddle East, which it has used in recent months to launchairstrikes against targets in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. They alsointercepted drones and missiles over the Red Sea and in theairspace over Jordan and other countries. However, due to thegrowing regional tensions, the UAE, according to officials, isincreasingly afraid of becoming a target for attacks as a result ofUS military operations, the WSJ emphasizes.
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