Amid an escalating crisis, the United States has begun withdrawing part of its personnel from key bases in the Middle East. The decision is a response to threats from Tehran, which has warned that it would strike U.S. facilities if Washington were to intervene. Reuters reports that a U.S. attack on Iran, governed by fundamentalists, could take place within the next 24 hours.
U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed that the personnel drawdown in the region is a precautionary measure. These movements include, among others, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, Al Udeid in Qatar, where approximately 10,000 troops are stationed. Some personnel reportedly left the base immediately. The United Kingdom has also taken a similar step, evacuating part of its staff from an air base in Qatar.
Tensions are further heightened by signals coming from military and diplomatic circles. “All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy,”
a Western military official told Reuters. Two European diplomats reportedly said that a U.S. intervention could occur within 24 hours.
The situation is extremely fluid, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with intervention in recent days over the brutal suppression of anti-government protests. He called on Iranians to continue demonstrating, writing on social media:
“(…) KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY (…)”
he wrote on Truth Social.
The Islamic Republic is facing its most serious internal crisis since the 1979 revolution. Protests that erupted two weeks ago over dire economic conditions quickly turned into a nationwide uprising against the rule of the ayatollahs. The regime responded with unprecedented brutality.
The death toll is difficult to verify due to an information blackout, but the figures are staggering. One Iranian official stated that more than 2,000 people have been killed, while human rights organizations report over 2,600 deaths. The regime in Tehran, unsurprisingly, accuses the United States and Israel of instigating the unrest and labels the protesters “armed terrorists.”
The commander of the Iranian army, General Abdolrahim Mousavi, declared that Iran had “never encountered destruction on such a scale,” blaming “external enemies.” Tehran has warned neighboring countries that if Washington decides to strike, Iran’s response will target U.S. bases throughout the region.