The US to reduce its Middle East presence in anticipation of Israeli strike on Iran
The U.S. has placed its embassies and military bases in the Middle East on high alert. The State Department authorized the evacuation of some personnel in Iraq and the Pentagon authorized the departure of military family members from across the region. President Donald Trump expressed reduced confidence than earlier this year that a deal with Iran could be reached in a desirable time.
From The Washington Post:
The heightened security environment comes as President Donald Trump expresses dimming hopes of achieving a deal with Iran that would restrict its nuclear program and forestall a potentially cataclysmal military confrontation in the Middle East.
“I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made,” Trump told the New York Post.
In recent months, U.S. intelligence officials have grown increasingly concerned that Israel may choose to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities without the consent of the United States. Such a move would almost certainly scuttle the Trump administration’s delicate nuclear negotiations and prompt an Iranian retaliation on U.S. assets in the region.
Tehran has long said the United States, as Israel’s biggest military and political supporter, would suffer consequences in the event of an Israeli strike on Iran.
The State Department recently ordered all embassies within striking distance of Iranian assets — including missions in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Northern Africa — to convene emergency action committees (EACs) and send cables back to Washington about measures to mitigate risks.
That procedure led to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision Wednesday to authorize the departure of nonessential personnel in Iraq.
“We are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies,” said a State Department official who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive security matter. “Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, has authorized the “voluntary departure” of military family members from installations across the Middle East, a defense official said.
U.S. Central Command, the military headquarters overseeing the region, is working in close coordination with State Department counterparts and allies to maintain a constant state of readiness to support numerous missions at any time, the official added.
Additional Reading:
Hudson, J., DeYoung, K., Lamothe, D., & Taylor, A. (2025, June 11). U.S. shrinks presence in Middle East amid fears of Israeli strike on Iran. The Washington Post. Link.
Category: Donald Trump, International Affairs, Iran, Israel, Terror War
