US moves troops to hotels in Middle East - seemingly in violation of its own rules of war: report [View all]

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 01 April 2026 17:37 EDT


The Pentagon may have violated its own rules of war by moving troops from U.S. bases, targeted by Iran, to hotels and other civilian locations in the Middle East region, the New York Times reported.

Since the start of the conflict, initiated by President Donald Trump’s missile strikes, Iranian forces have been targeting U.S. bases throughout the region. Bases, such as the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, have been damaged and at least a dozen service members have been killed.

As a result, troops have been moved to office spaces and hotels throughout the region where they’ve been working remotely, military personnel told the New York Times last month.

If true, this could mean the Defense Department has violated a U.S. Law of War, which says officials must use their best efforts to distinguish military forces from others to mitigate civilian casualties and property damage. The Independent has asked the Pentagon for comment.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/us-troops-hotels-middle-east-iran-war-b2950383.html