US relocates forces from Gulf bases ahead of possible Iran strike

Tehran warns of a serious and strong response if Washington joins Israel’s war, while Trump continues to hint at intervention

 News Desk - The Cradle

On 18 June, the US began relocating aircraft and naval assets from key military sites in West Asia over concerns of potential Iranian retaliation, two US officials told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The repositioning effort includes aircraft not housed in hardened shelters at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and naval vessels previously stationed at the port of Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. One official said the moves fall under standard force protection procedures. “It is not an uncommon practice,” the official said. “Force protection is the priority.”

The US embassy in Doha issued a security alert the following day, warning embassy personnel and US citizens to increase vigilance and announcing a temporary restriction on access to Al-Udeid, the region’s largest US military installation.

The steps come as US President Donald Trump continues to signal ambiguity over whether the Washington will join Israel’s ongoing war on Iran. “I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday outside the White House.

According to a Bloomberg report citing unnamed sources, senior US officials are preparing for a possible strike on Iran in the coming days, with some pointing to the weekend as a potential window. The situation was described as fluid and subject to change.

Since the start of the Israeli aerial campaign on 13 June, airstrikes have hit Iranian nuclear and missile infrastructure, prompting mass evacuations in Tehran and elsewhere. Israel claims the operation is aimed at stopping Iran from producing a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies pursuing nuclear arms.

Iran’s envoy to the UN in Geneva said on Wednesday that Tehran has warned Washington it will respond decisively if the US becomes directly involved in Israel’s war effort. 

“If we confirm America's [direct] involvement in the attacks against us, we will respond,” Ambassador Ali Bahreini said. “We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land – we will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint.”

Bahreini added that Tehran already considers Washington complicit in Israeli actions and raised concerns that the US may assist in a potential strike on Iran’s fortified Fordow nuclear facility.

The US has also deployed more troops and fighter jets to the region and maintains an estimated 60,000 military personnel across West Asia.