Kuwaiti Army's General Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammad Al-Khuder was cited in a Saturday report by the Saudi-based Arab News English-language daily as saying that the pullout of the missile battery by the US military reflected “an interior routine procedure” in coordination with the Kuwaiti Army.

"Kuwait's Patriot missile system, independently, protects and covers all its geographical borders," he added in a statement quoted in the report.

Patriot missile systems are designed to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles and other airborne threats such as war planes.

US media reported last week that the US military was pulling some of its anti-aircraft and missile batteries out of the Middle East, marking a shift that focuses away from long-lasting conflicts in the region to tensions with China, Russia and Iran.

The reports further cited American military officials as saying on Wednesday that US forces will pull out four Patriot missile systems from Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain next month.

Two Patriot missile systems will be redeployed from Kuwait, and one each from Jordan and Bahrain, the reports further noted.

Reuters also cited a US military official as saying on Wednesday that Washington’s redeployment of the missile systems was part of a shift in focus away from the battle against “extremist militants” in efforts “to address tensions with China and Russia” without elaborating.

However, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declined to comment on the matter when approached by Pentagon reporters on Friday.

Moreover, Pentagon Spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich also refused to elaborate on the move, saying that due to operational security, "we're not going to discuss the movement of specific capabilities into and out of the US Central Command area of responsibility."