Some troops ordered to leave largest US base in Middle East

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is the largest US military base in the Middle East

Some troops have been ordered to leave a key US military base in Qatar amid the US's tough stance on the situation in Iran. The order at Al Udeid, the largest US base in the Middle East, has raised new regional security concerns.

Al Jazeera reports that some military personnel have been ordered to leave the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening, Reuters reported. Three diplomats familiar with the matter told Reuters, but their identities were not disclosed.

The news comes at a time when the US is increasingly warning of military intervention to protect the ongoing protests in Iran. Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US military base in the Middle East. About 10,000 US troops are stationed here. A diplomat told Reuters that this was not a mandatory order to withdraw US troops, but rather a change in military posture and readiness. He said he was not aware of any specific reasons behind the decision.

However, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, Tehran has warned regional countries that if the US attacks Iran, it will attack US military bases in various countries in the Middle East. A senior Iranian official made the information in a statement to Reuters on Wednesday. The warning came after US President Donald Trump threatened to intervene in Iran in support of anti-government protesters. An Israeli assessment said that President Trump appears to have decided to intervene in Iran. However, the scope and timing of this move are not yet clear.

The Iranian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tehran has urged regional countries to prevent Washington from attacking Iran. He said Iran has clearly told countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey that if the United States attacks Iran, US bases in those countries will be hit.

The official also said that direct communication between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff has been suspended, reflecting the growing tension between the two countries.

On the other hand, another Israeli government source said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet was briefed late Tuesday night about the possibility of a government collapse in Iran or direct US intervention.