US Pulls Out Personnel From Qatar Airbase Amid Tensions With Iran

The United States has advised some personnel to leave its Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening amid rising fears of a potential military confrontation with Iran.

Al Udeid, the largest US military base in the Middle East, houses about 10,000 American troops. According to one diplomat familiar with the development, “It’s a posture change and not an ordered evacuation,” adding that there was no specific threat linked to the move.

The development comes as tensions in the region continued to mount following Washington’s repeated warnings that it could intervene militarily to protect protesters in Iran.

Tehran has been rocked by two weeks of deadly demonstrations, drawing increasingly stern rhetoric from the US. Direct communication between senior officials from both countries has reportedly broken down, with contact between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff now suspended, a senior official told Reuters.

Iran’s Defence Minister, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, warned that Tehran would retaliate against any US attack and target countries that assist in such strikes.

“If these threats are turned into action, we will defend the country with full force and until the last drop of blood, and our defence would be painful to them,” Nasirzadeh said at a security meeting, according to state-run Press TV.

He added that any nation providing support for strikes on Iran “will be legitimate targets,” while noting that damage caused by Israel’s 12-day war on Iran in June had been repaired and “the military production capacity increased.”

As the situation deteriorated, several countries have begun urging their nationals to leave Iran. India’s embassy in Tehran called on its citizens to depart the country, citing what it described as an “evolving situation.” Similar advisories have been issued by the US, Canada, and Australia.

Qatar, meanwhile, confirmed that the partial withdrawal of US personnel from the Al Udeid base is linked to “current regional tensions.”

In a statement, the country’s International Media Office said Qatar “continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority.” It added that actions were under way for the “protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities.”