U.S. officials have advised some personnel to depart the strategic Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to a Reuters report citing diplomatic sources, after Iran warned neighboring countries it would launch strikes on American bases if Washington attacks. The threat follows provocative statements from former President Donald Trump, who told Iranian protesters on Tuesday that “help is on its way,” escalating tensions amidst a brutal crackdown on domestic unrest that has reportedly left thousands dead.
While Tehran has previously conducted telegraphed missile attacks on the same base, there is no evidence of the large-scale troop movements seen before those earlier strikes, even as the regime signals a swift judicial response to the protests, with at least one execution expected.