The U.S. and UK are reducing personnel at Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base as President Donald Trump weighs possible action against Iran over its violent crackdown on protesters.
Officials said the partial U.S. withdrawal is a “precautionary measure,” with some UK military personnel also being pulled. Qatar’s government said the steps reflect “current regional tensions.”
Al-Udeid is the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, hosting around 10,000 U.S. personnel and about 100 UK staff. It remains unclear how many will leave.
A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson declined to comment, citing operational security according to the BBC.
Reuters reports that some personnel had been advised to leave but there was no sign of a mass evacuation.
"All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy," a Western military official told Reuters later on Wednesday.
The move follows Trump’s warning that Iran would face “very strong action” if protesters are executed. Rights groups say more than 2,400 demonstrators have been killed in recent unrest.
Iran has warned it would retaliate against any U.S. attack. Senior adviser Ali Shamkhani said Tehran’s response capability had already been demonstrated during past confrontations.
The U.S. mission in Saudi Arabia has also urged staff and citizens to limit non-essential travel to military sites in the region.
At the White House, however, Trump suggested he was adopting a wait-and-see posture toward the crisis.
Trump told reporters that he has been told that killings in the Iranian government's crackdown on the protests were subsiding and that he believes there is currently no plan for large-scale executions.
Asked who told him that the killings had stopped, Trump described them as "very important sources on the other side."
The president did not rule out potential U.S. military action, saying "we are going to watch what the process is" before noting that his administration had received a "very good statement" from Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday "there is no plan" by Iran to hang people, when asked about the anti-government protests.
"There is no plan for hanging at all," the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the "Special Report with Bret Baier" show.
"Hanging is out of the question," Araqchi said.
According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Society, hangings are common in Iranian prisons.
The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on Iran on Thursday at the request of the United States.
The protests began in late December over economic hardship and have since evolved into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in decades.
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The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, visited Tehran to address “urgent humanitarian concerns” following the U.S.–Israel war on Iran, according to an ICRC delegation statement.
The United Nations has said that at least 21 people have been executed in Iran and more than 4,000 arrested since the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel on 28 February.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Iran could lose up to $435 million in oil exports due to a U.S. naval blockade, though a full institutional collapse remains unlikely, according to a geopolitical researcher.
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A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
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Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
China has warned the U.S. that Taiwan will dominate next month’s summit in Beijing, raising pressure on Washington and concern in Taipei over any shift in long-standing American policy.
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From Thursday, 1 May, goods from every African country with diplomatic ties to China will be able to enter the Chinese market without paying import duties.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 30th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a three‑year budget plan on Wednesday that clears the way for Congress to take up an additional $70 billion for immigration enforcement by federal agencies.
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