Kuwait calls US decision to removeanti-missile systems from several Arab allies

A U.S. decision to remove anti-missile systems from several Arab allies was an "internal and routine procedure", Kuwait said on Wednesday, adding that its defenses would not be affected.

"Kuwait's Patriot missile system, independently, protects and covers all its geographical borders," said a statement from the Gulf Arab state's chief of staff. It added that the U.S. decision had been coordinated with Kuwait's military.

An earlier Wall Street Journal report citing U.S. military officials said Washington was pulling four Patriot missile systems from Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain next month in a shift away from long-lasting conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan in order to address tensions with China and Russia.

Two Patriot systems, which are used to shoot down missiles and planes, will be redeployed from Kuwait, and one each from Jordan and Bahrain, the report said.

There was no immediate comment from Jordan and Bahrain did not respond immediately to a Reuters' request for a comment.

The move follows rising rhetoric against Iran from the United States, which earlier this year pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 deal in which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most Western sanctions.

Wealthy Gulf states have stepped up their defense spending amid higher tensions in the region, where Shi'ite Iran and Saudi Arabia are locked in a tussle for influence, backing rival forces in political struggles or wars in Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen.

Relations between the United States and Russia face a number of strains, including over Russian support for President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war and U.S. allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Russian denies any wrongdoing.

Beijing and Washington are locked in an increasingly bitter trade war and are at odds over other issues, such as U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan which China claims, and U.S. sanctions on China's military for buying Russian weapons.