(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The US military has been scaling back its presence at bases across the Middle East, and the US has ordered staff reductions at multiple diplomatic posts in the region, NBC News reported Wednesday, amid growing signs that the US and Israel may be preparing to launch another attack on Iran.
Sources told NBC that similar drawdowns were carried out before the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28. US troops at bases in Jordan are among those that have been moved as Iran pounded the facilities during exchanges of strikes in the summer, attacks that caused significant US casualties. The US is also pulling troops out of facilities in Kuwait and Qatar.
One US official told the outlet that moving troops out of harm’s way was part of the US military’s planning as President Trump considers restarting “major combat operations” against Iran potentially before or after the November 3 US midterm elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also appears eager to restart the bombing campaign as he’s facing elections in less than a week.
The NBC report said that on Wednesday, chiefs of mission at multiple diplomatic posts in the Middle East were notified they would operate with reduced staff. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott denied an earlier report from Reuters that said the US was preparing to issue an order for the departure of some personnel and family members at US embassies across the region, but acknowledged that such an order has been given for Saudi Arabia.
“The US Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency US government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only,” Pigott said.
Saudi Arabia continues to face major attacks from Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, since Riyadh reignited the war by bombing the Sanaa International Airport. The US is strongly supporting the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen, which has inflicted significant civilian casualties, by providing intelligence and refueling Saudi warplanes.
“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,” Pigott said. “The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them.”
This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.
