US pulls out diplomats, military families from West Asia over escalating Iran tensions
Washington DC : The US State and Defence Departments have begun moving non-essential personnel out of several locations across West Asia amid growing regional tensions, CNN reported citing US officials and sources familiar with the matter.
While the exact cause of the shift in posture remains unclear, a defence official told CNN that US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring "developing tension in the Middle East." President Donald Trump, commenting on the situation, said, "They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place... we've given notice to move out, and we'll see what happens
CNN reported that the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the region has been authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. "The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority," an official said.
CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Kurilla postponed his scheduled testimony before a Senate committee due to the evolving situation, according to a defence official.
The State Department, in coordination with the Pentagon, is also preparing to order the departure of non-essential personnel from US embassies in Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait, as well as the consulate in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, CNN reported.
A local Iraqi official, however, stated that the movements were not connected to the security environment in Iraq.
A State Department spokesperson said, "President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad... Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq." The department also updated its travel advisory, citing "heightened regional tensions" as the reason for the ordered departure.
CNN further reported that President Trump expressed waning confidence in reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran, telling a New York Post podcast that Tehran may be "delaying" the deal. "I'm getting more and more less confident about it... Something happened to them," Trump said, adding that his instincts suggest the deal is increasingly unlikely.
In a related development, CNN cited sources saying Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday to stop discussing a potential attack on Iran. The call, according to Trump, went "very well, very smooth."
Last month, CNN reported the US had obtained intelligence suggesting that Israel was preparing for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
US officials noted signs of Israeli military posturing, including the movement of air munitions and completion of an air exercise, though a final decision by Israeli leadership had not been confirmed.
Amid these developments, Iran's Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a stern warning.
As per Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, he said if nuclear talks fail and conflict erupts, the US would be "forced to leave the region," asserting that all US bases are within the reach of Iranian forces. "The adversary will certainly suffer heavier casualties," he added, though he did not clarify whether he was referring to the US, Israel, or both.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Trump calls Ahmedabad plane crash "horrific," offers support to India
Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump has said that the plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad was "terrible and horrific" and offered support to India. He called the crash one of the worst in aviation history. While participating in a Bill Signing Ceremony on Thursday, Trump expressed confidence that India would be able to handle it. However, he offered support to India. On the plane crash in Ahmedabad, Trump said, "The plane crash was terrible. I've already told them, anything that we can do - it's a big country, strong country, they will handle it, I'm sure - but, I let them know that anything we can do, we will be over there immediately. But, it was a horrific crash. It looks like most are gone, maybe have a couple of survivors that we just heard of. That was a horrible crash. No one has any idea what it might be. I gave them a couple of pointers. I said, maybe you will look at this. We saw the plane, it looked like it was flying pretty well. It didn't look like there was an explosion. It just looked like engines had maybe lost power. That is a terrible crash. One of the worst in aviation history."
Observer
5 hours ago
- Observer
Wall Street futures fall as Middle East tensions rise; Boeing drops
US stock index futures dipped on Thursday as signs of rising tensions in the Middle East weighed on risk sentiment and investors sought more clarity on Washington's recent trade deals with China. Shares of planemaker Boeing lost 7.6 per cent premarket after an Air India aircraft with more than 200 people crashed in India's western city of Ahmedabad, and aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Underscoring increased volatility in the Middle East, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday US personnel were being moved out of the region as it could be a "dangerous place" and the United States would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. This came just days ahead of a planned sixth round of nuclear talks between the two countries. A senior Iranian official said on Wednesday Tehran will strike US bases in the region if nuclear negotiations fail and conflict arises. China on Thursday affirmed a trade deal with the US, strengthening a delicate truce in the trade war that has roiled global markets for much of the year. "Now that a consensus has been reached, both sides should abide by it," Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesperson for China, said at a regular news conference. Traders also looked to gain more details on the trade framework discussed by officials from both sides at a two-day talk in London earlier this week. At 06:48 am ET, Dow E-minis were down 269 points, or 0.63 per cent, S&P 500 E-minis were down 25.5 points, or 0.42 per cent, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 74 points, or 0.34 per cent. Tesla shares lost 1.7 per cent and Nvidia declined about 1.1 per cent. Among other movers, Oracle shares rose 7.7 per cent after the cloud service provider raised its annual revenue growth forecast citing increased demand from companies deploying artificial intelligence. US-listed shares of gold miners also advanced, as bullion prices hit a one-week high. Newmont gained 1.5 per cent, Harmony Gold was up 3.5 per cent and AngloGold Ashanti rose 4.2 per cent. Shares of Oklo fell 5.8 per cent after the nuclear technology firm backed by Sam Altman launched a $400 million stock offering. After a tame inflation report on Wednesday that provided investors with some reprieve, focus will now be on the May Producer Price Index data, which is due at 8:30 am ET, along with initial jobless claims data. "May could be too soon to see the impact of tariffs, but softer demand may also be limiting pass through. We pencil in larger tariff effects starting later in the summer," said Citigroup strategists in a client note. With investor bets increasing on Trump reaching favourable trade agreements with several trading partners in the coming weeks, the benchmark S&P 500 index is trading 2 per cent below its record high touched in February. The tech-heavy Nasdaq is about 2.7 per cent from record levels hit in December. — Reuters
Observer
13 hours ago
- Observer
Protests spread across US despite Trump threats
Protests over hardline immigration tactics ignited across the United States after days of demonstrations in Los Angeles, as California prepared Thursday for a legal showdown over President Donald Trump's deployment of the military. More than 1,000 people massed Wednesday in America's second biggest city, for a sixth day of protests, with the crowd peaceful as they marched through the streets. A second night of curfew was in place as city leaders try to get a handle on the after-dark vandalism and looting that scarred a few city blocks in the 500-square-mile (1,300 square kilometers) metropolis. "I would say for the most part everything is hunky dory right here at Ground Zero," protester Lynn Sturgis, 66, a retired school teacher, told AFP. "Our city is not at all on fire, it's not burning down, as our terrible leader is trying to tell you." The mostly peaceful protests ignited over a sudden escalation in efforts to apprehend migrants in the country illegally. Pockets of violence -- including the burning of self-driving taxis and hurling stones at police -- were nothing the 8,500 officers of the Los Angeles Police Department had not dealt with before. In Spokane, Washington, a night curfew was declared after police arrested more than 30 protesters and fired pepper balls to disperse crowds, police chief Kevin Hall told a news conference. Trump won the election last year partly on promises to combat what he claims is an "invasion" by undocumented migrants. He is now seizing the opportunity to make political capital, ordering the California National Guard to deploy despite Governor Gavin Newsom's objections, the first time a US president has taken such action in decades. "We're going to have a safe country," he told reporters on his way into a performance of "Les Miserables" in Washington. "We're not going to have what would have happened in Los Angeles. Remember, if I wasn't there... Los Angeles would have been burning to the ground." Around 1,000 of the 4,700 troops Trump deployed were actively guarding facilities and working alongside ICE agents, said Scott Sherman, Deputy Commanding General Army North, who is leading operations. The rest -- including 700 active duty Marines -- were mustering or undergoing training to deal with civil disturbances, he said. The Pentagon has said the deployment will cost taxpayers $134 million. Governor Newsom, a Democrat widely viewed as eying a 2028 presidential run, has charged that Trump is seeking to escalate the confrontation for political gain. He warned Tuesday that the unprecedented militarization would creep beyond his state's borders, claiming "democracy is under assault right before our eyes." Lawyers for California were expected in court on Thursday to seek an order blocking troops from accompanying immigration officers as they arrest migrants. Trump administration lawyers called the application a "crass political stunt." - Nationwide protests growing - Despite Trump's threats to deploy the National Guard to other Democratic-run states, protesters appeared undeterred. Demonstrations were reported in St Louis, Raleigh, Manhattan, Indianapolis and Denver. In San Antonio, hundreds marched and chanted near city hall, reports said, where Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has deployed the state's National Guard. A nationwide "No Kings" movement was expected on Saturday, when Trump will attend a highly unusual military parade in the US capital. The Trump administration is painting the protests as a violent threat to the nation, requiring military force to support regular immigration agents and police. But Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the crisis had been manufactured in Washington. "A week ago, everything was peaceful in the city of Los Angeles," she told reporters. "Things began to be difficult on Friday when raids took place... that is the cause of the problems. "This was provoked by the White House." Arrests by masked and armed men continued Wednesday. A pastor in the LA suburb of Downey said five armed men driving out-of-state cars grabbed a Spanish-speaking man in the church's parking lot. When she challenged the men and asked for their badge numbers and names, they refused. "They did point their rifle at me and said, 'You need to get back,'" Lopez told broadcaster KTLA.
