(Photo by AFP PHOTO / PLANET LABS PBC)
The United States and the United Kingdom have started reducing personnel at the airbase in Qatar amid rising tensions after Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran, while Tehran warned it would retaliate.
Foreign news agencies report that the US and UK are reducing their personnel at the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar as US President Donald Trump considers actions against Iran following its crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Several officials told CBS News that the partial US troop withdrawal is a "precautionary measure," while the BBC understands that some UK military personnel have also been withdrawn from the base.
Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, hosting about 10,000 personnel, including approximately 100 from the UK. However, the exact number of troops being withdrawn remains unclear.
A statement from the Qatari government said that the reported US actions are "in response to the current regional tensions."
Previously, Trump said the US would take "very severe measures" against Iran if authorities execute protesters, while Iran warned neighboring countries hosting US bases that those bases could be attacked if Washington strikes.
Human rights groups report that the major protests in Iran, ongoing for over two weeks, have resulted in more than 2,600 deaths. The Iranian government is managing the protests with a two-pronged approach: acknowledging the economic grievances as legitimate while simultaneously using harsh crackdowns.
A senior adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, warned Donald Trump that Iran's attack on Al-Udeid base in June demonstrated Tehran's capability to respond to any form of attack.
"This will certainly help provide a true understanding of Iran's will and capability to respond to any attacks," Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the US diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia advised US personnel and citizens to "exercise increased caution and limit non-essential travel to all military sites in the region."
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Source:bbc