TL:DR – US and UK Withdraw Troops from Key Middle East Base Amid Rising Iran Tensions
- The UK has evacuated embassy staff from Tehran amid rising tensions in Iran.
- Donald Trump ordered a departure of personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, responding to Iranian threats.
- Iranian protests led to over 2,500 deaths, igniting calls for international intervention.
- Experts suggest troop withdrawals are precautionary, not a retreat.
- Tensions also simmer over Greenland as Denmark engages in talks with the US regarding security.
US and UK pull troops out of major Middle East base after Iran tensions grow | News World
The US and UK have evacuated some personnel from a military base in Qatar amid concerns Washington might soon launch military action against Iran, although tensions between the two countries appeared to lessen on Wednesday night.
A US official told Reuters and the Associated Press on Wednesday that the withdrawal was a precaution, while diplomats said some forces had been advised to leave al-Udeid base in Qatar. The UK is also withdrawing staff from the base, the Guardian understands.
In the early hours of Thursday, reports emerged that Iran had closed its airspace to all flights except international flights to and from Iran that had been given permission. The flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said the advisory was valid for a little more than two hours.
United States evacuating personnel in the middle east
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was pulling some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution given heightened regional tensions, Reuters reported.
Some personnel have been advised to leave the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar by Wednesday evening, Reuters reported, quoting three unnamed diplomats.
“It’s a posture change and not an ordered evacuation,” one diplomat said, adding that they were not aware that a specific reason had been given for the posture change.
Qatar said the drawdown of some personnel from the Al Udeid airbase comes in response to “current regional tensions”.
Qatar’s International Media Office said Doha “continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority” and said that actions are under way for the “protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities”.