US urges some troops to leave Qatar base amid Iran threats

According to several diplomatic sources cited by the agency, certain units of personnel at the Al Udeid air base in Qatar were advised to leave by Wednesday evening.

Earlier, Tehran also warned US allies in the Middle East that it would strike American bases on their territory if Washington attacked Iran.

The United States has recently reinforced its presence in the region, including in Bahrain, where the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet is located, and in Qatar, where Al Udeid air base — the forward headquarters of US Central Command — is situated.

What is known about Al Udeid air base

Al Udeid is the largest US base in the Middle East, home to about 10,000 service members. Ahead of US airstrikes on Iran in June, some personnel were withdrawn from American bases in the Middle East.

The base hosts the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the US Air Force, the UK Royal Air Force, and the forward headquarters of US Central Command. As of 2017, more than 100 aircraft of various types and purposes were stationed at the base.

What preceded

Since late 2025, large-scale anti-government protests have been ongoing in Iran, beginning in Tehran among business owners dissatisfied with the economic situation and the decline of the national currency against the US dollar.

Cities previously considered loyal to the regime, including Qom in the central part of the country and Mashhad in the northeast, have also joined the protests.

According to the latest data, the death toll during the protests may reach 12,000 people.

US President Donald Trump publicly called on Iranians to continue anti-government actions, seize institutions, and said that assistance to protesters is already "on its way."

He also promised to take "very strong action" if Iranian authorities begin executing protest participants this week.