The United States and Qatar have reached a landmark agreement allowing the Gulf nation to build a new air force facility at Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho. The deal was confirmed by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting with Qatari Defence Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon on Friday, 10 October 2025.
The facility will train Qatari pilots to fly F-15 fighter jets and will host a contingent of Qatari aircraft and personnel. Hegseth emphasized the move as a testament to the growing military cooperation between the two nations, calling it “another example of our partnership.” He added that the training base would boost joint capabilities, interoperability, and readiness, stating, “You can count on us.”
Although specific details such as the number of aircraft and the operational timeline have not been disclosed, the facility marks a major step forward in US-Qatar defense relations.
The announcement also comes at a time when Qatar has played a vital diplomatic role in ongoing Middle East peace negotiations. Alongside Egypt and Turkey, Qatar has been instrumental in mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and arranging the release of hostages. Hegseth publicly thanked Qatar for its “substantial role” in supporting President Donald Trump’s regional peace efforts.
The US-Qatar relationship was further cemented last month when President Trump signed an executive order pledging full American military support to defend Qatar. The order, described as an extraordinary security pact, aligns closely with elements of the NATO framework and was issued in response to Israeli airstrikes in Doha that killed several Hamas members and a Qatari security officer.
Qatar is already home to the largest US military base in the Middle East—al-Udeid Air Base—which houses America’s regional air operations command. The base came under attack earlier this year by Iranian forces in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The new Idaho training facility reinforces the strategic importance of Qatar to US interests in the Middle East and reflects an increasingly multifaceted alliance that spans both military cooperation and diplomatic coordination.
