Pentagon Denies U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Syria

The Pentagon has stated that the recent military movements of U.S. forces in Syria are part of a "routine repositioning," refuting claims of troop withdrawals from the area.

An official spokesperson, cited by the Russian news agency "Novosti," remarked, "The United States periodically repositions its forces based on changes in the operational environment and needs," adding that these actions demonstrate "strategic defensive flexibility and the ability to adapt to evolving threats."

Conflicting Reports from the Field

Conversely, sources linked to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported that the U.S. military has begun evacuating the "Al-Conoco" base in eastern Deir Ezzor, with two large convoys comprising over 200 military vehicles, including heavy equipment, seen departing in recent days.

These sources also noted the absence of the surveillance balloon from the base for more than a week, while the last convoy reportedly headed to Erbil in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Potential Troop Reduction by 50%

U.S. sources disclosed to "Reuters" that Washington is contemplating a reduction of its troop presence in Syria by half, limiting the number of soldiers to around 1,000 as part of a comprehensive review of its strategy in the region.

These developments align with a report from the Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth," which indicated that U.S. officials are planning a gradual withdrawal over the next two months.

Israeli Concerns and Security Warnings

Israeli security institutions have expressed concern over the potential implications of a U.S. withdrawal, particularly regarding the possibility of Turkey enhancing its presence in sensitive areas such as the "T4" airport and the city of Palmyra, which are deemed critical to Israeli national security.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense cautioned that any U.S. withdrawal could encourage Ankara to expand its influence in northern and eastern Syria, especially in light of its increasing regional involvement following the Syrian civil war.

Turkish-Israeli Tensions Amid Diplomatic Efforts

In a related context, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, recently hosted technical meetings between Turkish and Israeli military representatives aimed at establishing mechanisms to prevent conflicts in Syria. However, these efforts faced setbacks following remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who labeled Israel as a "terrorist state" and accused it of attempting to "sabotage" regional stability.