President Donald Trump is weighing imminent military action against Iran that could come “in the next 24 hours,” according to a Reuters report citing European officials, as the Pentagon begins pulling personnel from key U.S. bases across the Middle East and Tehran warns it would retaliate if Washington strikes.
The Reuters report, published Wednesday, said two European officials assessed U.S. military intervention now appeared likely, with one saying it could come within the next 24 hours, while an Israeli official similarly said it appeared Trump had made a decision to intervene — though the scope and timing remained unclear.
The determination came as the United States began withdrawing some personnel from bases in the region, a move the report said was widely viewed as preparation for possible strikes.
A U.S. official said the drawdown involved a precautionary removal of personnel from key bases given heightened regional tensions following warnings from a senior Iranian official that Iran would strike American bases in neighboring countries if the U.S. targets Iran.
That senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had warned regional states — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey — that U.S. bases on their territory would be attacked if Washington launches strikes, while urging those countries to pressure Washington to stand down.
Qatar confirmed that personnel reductions were underway at Al Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East and the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command — describing the move as a response to “current regional tensions.”
Diplomats cited in the report said some personnel had been instructed to depart Al Udeid by Wednesday evening, stressing the move was a posture change rather than an ordered evacuation, with no immediate signs of a mass withdrawal like that seen ahead of an Iranian missile strike last year.
Britain has also begun withdrawing some personnel from a military airbase in Qatar, mirroring the U.S. posture shift as Washington weighs next steps.
In a separate Reuters report, U.S. officials described the drawdown as involving non-essential personnel, while noting the White House is reviewing a range of potential options — including additional strikes on regime-linked infrastructure and cyber operations — should Trump authorize action.
The regional posture shift comes as Iran’s leadership seeks to suppress what officials and rights groups have described as the most violent unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with casualty figures continuing to rise amid widespread internet blackouts.
One Iranian official put the death toll above 2,000, while a rights group reported more than 2,600 killed — figures widely viewed as conservative given the regime’s restrictions on information.
Breitbart News has reported that independent estimates, constrained by communications blackouts and mass burials, have placed the death toll far higher, with some assessments running as high as 12,000 or more nationwide as of Tuesday.
The same senior Iranian official said direct communications between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, claiming U.S. threats had derailed diplomatic contacts tied to the nuclear dispute.
Iran has paired its internal crackdown with explicit deterrent threats aimed at U.S. forces across the region, warning that any American strike would trigger retaliation against U.S. military installations.
Senior Iranian adviser Ali Shamkhani reinforced that warning Wednesday morning, publicly pointing to Iran’s prior missile strike on Al Udeid following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities last year as evidence of Tehran’s ability to respond to renewed U.S. action.
Trump’s warnings have intensified alongside the crackdown. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, the president vowed “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters, while warning Tehran against retaliation and saying any response would be met at levels “never seen before.”
The posture shift also follows days of escalating public warnings from Trump tied directly to the killing of protesters. As Breitbart News reported Tuesday, the president urged “Iranian Patriots” to “KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!,” declared “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” and warned regime “killers and abusers” they “will pay a big price.”
Trump first drew that red line earlier this month, warning the United States was “locked and loaded” if Iran began mass executions, as the administration moved to isolate the regime diplomatically and economically.
The U.S. State Department has also urged American citizens to leave Iran as the unrest and repression escalate, underscoring the deteriorating security environment.
For now, the reported timeline and the visible military posture are moving in parallel — with U.S. forces thinning out at critical bases across the region and Tehran making clear it would target American assets if Washington strikes first.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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