The U.S. government has announced plans to remove its forces from Naval Air Station Keflavik, in Iceland, this fall, but reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to the island nation's security.

The decision is part of an ongoing Defense Department plan to restructure the military footprint overseas, which officials said no longer reflects current and emerging threats. The decision is expected to take effect within the next few months, with no significant military presence in Iceland after September. About 1,200 U.S. servicemembers, 100 DoD civilians and about 600 Icelandic civilians are based in Iceland in support of the Iceland Defense Force.