WASHINGTON – The United States military has repositioned aircraft and naval vessels across the Middle East to reduce vulnerability amid rising threats of retaliation from Iran, two senior US officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
As uncertainty looms over whether President Donald Trump will commit US forces to Israel’s bombardment of Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure, precautionary steps are being taken across the region. The repositioning includes moving aircraft from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and naval vessels from the Bahrain port that hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
One official said aircraft not housed in hardened shelters were moved from Al Udeid, while naval assets had shifted from Bahrain.
“It is not an uncommon practice,” the official noted. “Force protection is the priority.”
On Thursday, the US Embassy in Qatar issued an alert restricting access to Al Udeid for US personnel and citizens, urging increased vigilance due to “ongoing regional hostilities.”
Meanwhile, a US aircraft carrier from the Indo-Pacific is en route to the Middle East, adding to a buildup that includes fighter jets and refueling tankers already redeployed earlier this week.
Tensions escalated after Israel launched airstrikes last Friday, claiming Iran was nearing nuclear weapons capability—a charge Tehran denies.
In a stark warning, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva stated that Iran would respond firmly if the US becomes directly involved in the conflict. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed Trump’s call for “unconditional surrender.”
