Saudi Arabia, Kuwait open bases, airspace to US military amid Iran War

A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report has claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have lifted restrictions regarding use of their military bases for U.S. military.

Both Arab countries barred the U.S. military from using their bases for launching attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The outlet, citing American and Saudi officials, reported that the restrictions were lifted following the start of a humanitarian effort by the U.S. President Donald Trump to help the commercial vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil trade route blocked by Iran.

Trump started Project Freedom; however, it was later suspended on the request of mediator Pakistan “to support all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.”

The U.S. official indicated that the administration was looking to restart the operation to help vessels with naval and air support; however, they did not provide the actual timeline.

The report claims that removal of restrictions removes a major operational hurdle and paves the way for the U.S. to potentially resume Project Freedom in the coming days.

The move comes amid delicate diplomacy as Pakistan-mediated peace talks between the U.S. and Iran are ongoing, with Iran reportedly reviewing a U.S. proposal on nuclear issues.

Since the start of conflict, Gulf states had prioritized avoiding escalation despite facing missile and drone attacks from Iran.