Israel is reportedly gearing up to bomb Iran as the U.S. ordered evacuations across the Middle East, U.S. and European officials told the New York Times on Wednesday.
Israel is reportedly ready to strike Iranian nuclear facilities as U.S.-led talks with Iran appear to be stalling out, and the State Department ordered the evacuations due to unspecified “heightened security risks,” the NYT reported. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Iranian officials on Sunday, which could be the last chance for Tehran to reach an agreement on its nuclear program before the bombs drop.
President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that the press would “have to figure that one out” when asked about the reason for the evacuations, according to the NYT.
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh also said Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East if nuclear talks fail and the U.S. gets involved in a potential conflict. Tensions between Iran and Israel have put the Middle East on edge as Israel has said it would strike Iran’s nuclear capabilities if ongoing nuclear talks do not bear any kind of deal.
Trump reportedly set a two-month deadline on April 12 for reaching a deal with Iran, as the deadline is set to expire in a week. Trump also floated in March the possibility of joining Israel in bombing Iran if talks broke down.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also authorized departures for military dependents from U.S. bases in the region, with the base in Bahrain housing the majority of those affected, while the State Department authorized evacuations of non-essential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, according to The Associated Press. The U.S. has a military presence in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Iraq.
The Trump administration has had internal splits on how to handle Iran’s nuclear program, with some insiders ardently advocating for military action while more restraint-minded officials prefer to reach a diplomatic solution.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
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