WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that Qatar will be allowed to build an air force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho that will house F-15 fighter jets and pilots. The announcement comes soon after President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to defend the Gulf Arab state against attacks, following Israeli air strikes targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha.

The facility in Idaho will be used to train Qatari pilots to fly F-15 fighter jets, the US defence secretary says.

Hegseth The Defense secretary made the announcement at a Pentagon press conference with Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's defense minister.