Regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations in the Near East

Following Iran's widespread use of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) throughout the Near East region during the 2026 conflict, there remains a significant and persistent risk of unexploded ordnance (UXO) falling into the hands of malign actors who could repurpose these materials to carry out attacks against U.S. facilities, critical infrastructure, and civilian soft targets, a phenomenon known as “explosive harvesting.” The proliferation of UXO, combined with the technical sophistication of Iranian-origin explosive materials, presents an acute threat to regional stability and U.S. national security interests. The Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to provide specialized explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), counter improvised explosive device (C-IED), and post-blast investigation training and equipment to security forces in Iraq, Lebanon, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates). This program will strengthen the capabilities of foreign governments, including Iraqi security forces, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF), and GCC member state security services, to identify, render safe, disarm, and properly dispose of UXO and other explosive materials. The program will also enhance post-blast investigation capabilities to support attribution efforts and prosecution of perpetrators who attempt to weaponize these materials. This project will safeguard against attacks being carried out against U.S. facilities and soft targets using these materials.