US troops advised to leave Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base

Some personnel have been advised to leave the U.S. military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, three diplomats told Reuters.

“It’s a posture change and not an ordered evacuation,” one of the diplomats told Reuters. The diplomat said he was not aware that a specific reason had been given for the posture change.

Al Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, hosting approximately 10,000 troops.

The movements come against the backdrop of White House statements regarding the possible use of force against Iran. Earlier, Iran had threatened that U.S. military bases would become legitimate targets in the event of an attack on its territory.