The United States is evacuating nonessential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad and permitting military families to leave several Gulf bases, officials from the State Department and Pentagon confirmed.
The measures follow warnings from Iran about possible missile strikes on U.S. bases in response to any attacks on its nuclear facilities. President Donald Trump met with top national security officials at Camp David three days earlier to discuss the situation.
Israeli officials have placed their military on high alert, preparing for a potential confrontation with Iran if nuclear talks fail.
Trump set a two-month deadline for a new agreement, which expires this week. Tehran has not responded to the U.S. proposal, and officials say it is increasingly unlikely that the planned sixth round of talks in Oman will take place. The U.K. also issued a maritime warning over escalating tensions in the region.
A State Department official cited updated security analysis as the reason for reducing the U.S. footprint in Iraq. Pentagon officials said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized “voluntary departure” for families at multiple bases.
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