The United States called Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates �major security partners� early Saturday, a previously unheard of designation for the two countries home to major American military operations.

A White House statement tied the designation to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalizing ties to Israel, saying it �reflects their extraordinary courage, determination and leadership.� It also noted the two countries long have taken part in U.S. military exercises.

It�s unclear what the designation means for Bahrain, an island kingdom off Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, and the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy�s 5th Fleet, while the UAE�s Jebel Ali port is the busiest port of call for American warships outside of the U.S. Bahrain hosts some 5,000 American troops, while the UAE hosts 3,500, many at Al-Dhafra Air Base.

Already, the U.S. uses the designation of �major non-NATO ally� to describe its relationship with Kuwait, which hosts the forward command of U.S. Army Central. That designation grants a country special financial and military considerations for nations not part of NATO. Bahrain also is a non-NATO ally.

The U.S. military�s Central Command and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The 5th Fleet referred queries to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The White House designation comes in the final days of President Donald Trump�s administration. Trump forged close ties to Gulf Arab countries during his time in office in part over his hard-line stance on Iran. That�s sparked a series of escalating incidents between the countries after Trump unilaterally withdrew from Iran�s nuclear deal with world powers.

It also comes after Bahrain and the UAE joined Egypt and Saudi Arabia in beginning to resolve a yearslong boycott of Qatar, another Gulf Arab nation home to Al-Udeid Air Base that hosts Central Command�s forward operating base. That boycott began in the early days of Trump�s time in office after he visited Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip.

(AP)