Countdown to US strike on Iran, Americans evacuate bases in the Middle East for security reasons

The United States has begun the process of removing hundreds of troops from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US air base in the Middle East, in anticipation of a possible military operation that Donald Trump may order against Iran.

At the same time, Reuters reports that personnel are also being removed from other bases in the Middle East, without specifically mentioning which ones the process concerns.

An Iranian official, Reuters adds, had stated that Tehran had warned neighboring countries that it would strike American bases if Washington proceeds with strikes.

According to a US official and another person with knowledge of the relevant processes who spoke to NBC News, military personnel stationed at the base are being moved to other facilities and hotels in the wider area.

Three diplomats told Reuters that some personnel had been asked to leave the base, although there was no immediate indication that large numbers of troops were being moved to a soccer field and shopping mall, as happened hours before the Iranian missile attack last spring.

The move is intended to remove them from potential danger in case a US strike provokes retaliation from Tehran.

Al Udeid is a key operational hub for US forces in the Middle East and is home to thousands of troops, as well as critical air and administrative infrastructure.

This preemptive personnel removal underscores the degree of concern in Washington about the possibility of escalation and the scope of possible Iranian reactions in the event of a military strike, while at the same time it is the first recorded - official American movement in the wider region around Iran.

“Possible US intervention within the next 24 hours”

Two European officials told Reuters that US military intervention seemed likely - one, in fact, said that it could take place within the next 24 hours.

An Israeli official said for his part that Trump appeared to have made the decision to intervene, although the scope and timing of the intervention have not yet been determined.