June 11 (UPI) — The U.S. State and Defense departments on Wednesday are arranging the departure of non-essential personnel from the Middle East amid reports Israel is ready to strike Iran.
CBS News reported U.S. anticipates Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq, including Baghdad, if Israel goes through with airstrikes. Officials in the United States and Europe told The New York Times that Israel appears to be preparing to launch an airstrike soon on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A defense official told CNN that U.S. Central Command is monitoring “developing tension in the Middle East.”
The Trump administration is continuing to pursue a new nuclear deal on uranium encirclement with Iran, and the war between Israel and Hamas is continuing on the Gaza Strip. Iran is providing support to the militants.
Israel, which has opposed a nuclear deal involving Iran, has conducted “countless overt and covert operations” to counter the growth of Iran’s uranium enrichment program, according to Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in April.
Last month, U.S. President Trump said he urged Netanyahu not to strike Iran during negotiations with the nation.
“I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close to a solution,” Trump said.
Trump was asked Wednesday about a heightened situation while arriving at the Kennedy Center event.
“They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. “But they have been or we’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents throughout the Middle East. About 2,500 U.S. troops are based in Iraq.
“The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority, the CENTCON official told CNN.
The State Department also is preparing to evacuate non-essential personnel from the U.S. embassies in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait. Sources told CNN it’s because of increased security risks in the region.
“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad,” a State Department official said. “In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.”
The British Maritime Trade Organization on Wednesday advised ships to exercise caution in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, which are waterways for the global oil trade, because of “increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity.”
Hegseth told members of a Senate committee on Wednesday that there are “plenty of indications” that Iran was “moving their way towards something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon.”
Iran has enriched 408.6 kilograms of uranium, or 900 pounds, up to 60% purity – which is very close to the 90% enrichment level required to build a nuclear weapon, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated two weeks ago.
That’s a nearly 50% increase since February, the U.N. agency estimated.
Iranian leaders have said they won’t accept Trump’s demand of no uranium enrichment.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, still plans to meet with Iran for a sixth round of talks.
Last month, CNN reported the U.S. had obtained new intelligence that Israel was making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
Israeli Defense Forces struck military targets in Iran twice in 2024.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran’s Defense Minister, Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said “some officials from the other side have made threatening remarks, warning of potential conflict in case no agreement is reached.”
He noted the U.S. won’t have any choice because its bases are within the reach of the Iranian military and Iran will not hesitate to target all of them in their host countries.
In 2015, former President Barack Obama and other nations struck a deal with Iran limiting the scope of the country’s uranium enrichment program. But Trump ended the agreement during his first term and increased sanctions against Iran.
Iran operates one nuclear power reactor, which is in Bushehr, about 620 miles south of Baghdad, with construction on a second one there.
