US military reduces troop presence in Middle East, NBC News reports

US officials have said that the American military has reduced its troop presence in various parts of the Middle East in recent days, according to NBC News.

The move comes amid rising security tensions in the region, with ongoing concerns about the potential expansion of hostilities and threats targeting US interests in the Middle East.

The US website Axios reported, citing Israeli and American officials, that dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted a flight last Monday that reached the Iranian border, more than 1,300 kilometers from Israel.

According to the sources, the operation involved dozens of fighter jets and refueling aircraft, following a route that would match a potential strike on Iran via Syrian and Iraqi airspace, before turning back to Israel as they neared the Iranian border.

The report stated that Israel had informed the United States about the operation in advance, describing it as a training exercise intended to demonstrate strength and deter Iran from launching attacks ahead of Israel's elections scheduled for October 27. However, some US sources indicated they believed Israel hoped Iranian forces would fire on the jets, providing justification for strikes against Iran, noting that the Israelis were aware Iran's air defense systems would detect the flight.

The operation coincided with a visit by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Israel and his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Air Base, though sources said the exercise was not linked to the visit.