US Pulls Troops From Mideast Bases as Trump Weighs Iran

The United States has quietly withdrawn troops from military bases in Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait and ordered deeper staffing cuts at diplomatic posts across the Middle East as President Donald Trump weighs whether to resume major strikes on Iran, NBC News reported Wednesday. The network cited two US officials and two people familiar with the developments. Those sources said the moves are a response to continuing threats in the region, including from Iran.

For Americans in Israel, the warnings came first. On Sunday, US missions across the region, including the embassy in Jerusalem, urged citizens to stay highly vigilant against threats from Iran and its proxies. They also told citizens to prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures.

Saudi Arabia is also in focus. US officials told Reuters that the State Department planned to evacuate some diplomats and their families from the kingdom over fears of renewed fighting, particularly fighting involving the Houthis in Yemen.

"Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott wrote on social media.

Pigott stressed that "the safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority." Many American missions in the region have operated with thinner staffing since the war began.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) declined to discuss the troop movements. "We regularly move US service members and assets to optimize mission readiness," CENTCOM spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said. "We do not discuss related movements for operational security reasons. US forces remain vigilant and ready to protect American personnel and interests across the region."

Trump has publicly ruled out an attack before the US vote. In an October 8 post on Truth Social, he declared that "we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd." In the same post, he said Iran was in "very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily" and that Washington was holding "productive discussions" with Tehran.

The New York Times reported early Thursday that the US and Israeli militaries have drawn up detailed plans for a "short but intensive" operation after the midterms. The Times noted that Washington has not yet decided to attack. Iranian officials, for their part, are threatening to strike data centers and undersea internet cables, and they warn that any new round would not be brief.

On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that the IDF had readied plans for several days of combat against Iran roughly ten days earlier. According to that report, Trump vetoed the operation because he opposed reopening hostilities before the midterms.

Pete Hegseth met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Air Base in Israel on Monday. Neither side disclosed what was discussed.

On the same day, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets flew an operational sortie toward Iran, Axios reported. Refueling aircraft supported the jets. They flew roughly 1,300 kilometers from Israel through Syrian and Iraqi airspace, approached the Iranian border and then turned back. According to the report, the flight was unrelated to Hegseth's visit, and Israel had notified the United States in advance.