By Gloria Ogbonna
President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing imminent military action against Iran, with the possibility that a strike could come “within the next 24 hours,” according to a Reuters report citing European officials.
The warning comes as the Pentagon has begun repositioning and withdrawing personnel from key U.S. military installations across the Middle East, while Tehran has issued stark threats of retaliation should Washington move forward.
According to the Reuters report published Wednesday, two European officials said U.S. military intervention now appears increasingly likely. One official assessed that action could occur within a day, while an Israeli official separately indicated that Trump appears to have made a decision in principle to intervene, though questions remain about the scope, scale, and precise timing of any operation.
These assessments emerged as the United States quietly began drawing down personnel at several regional bases, a move widely interpreted by diplomats and defense observers as a preparatory step ahead of possible military strikes. A U.S. official described the drawdown as a precautionary measure, involving the removal of certain personnel from key locations amid rapidly escalating regional tensions.
The heightened alert follows warnings from a senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, who said Tehran would retaliate directly against American military installations in neighboring countries if the United States launches strikes on Iranian targets.
According to the official, Iran has already conveyed warnings to regional governments — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey — stating that U.S. bases on their territory would be targeted in the event of American military action. Tehran has urged those governments to pressure Washington to stand down.
Qatar confirmed that personnel reductions are underway at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. Qatari officials described the move as a response to “current regional tensions,” emphasizing that it reflects a change in posture rather than a full evacuation.
Diplomats cited in the report said some personnel were instructed to depart Al Udeid by Wednesday evening. They stressed, however, that there were no immediate signs of a mass withdrawal comparable to the large-scale evacuations seen ahead of Iran’s missile strike on the base last year.
Britain has also begun pulling some of its personnel from a military airbase in Qatar, mirroring the U.S. shift and signaling growing concern among Washington’s allies as the situation deteriorates.
In a separate Reuters report, U.S. officials said the drawdown primarily involves non-essential personnel, while confirming that the White House is actively reviewing a range of military and non-military options. These reportedly include potential strikes on regime-linked infrastructure as well as cyber operations, should Trump authorize action.
The military posture shift comes amid an intense internal crackdown by Iran’s leadership, as authorities seek to suppress what officials and human rights groups describe as the most violent unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Casualty figures continue to climb as protests spread and the regime enforces sweeping internet blackouts to limit the flow of information.
One Iranian official placed the death toll above 2,000, while a rights group reported more than 2,600 killed — numbers widely considered conservative due to restrictions on reporting and communications. Breitbart News has cited independent estimates suggesting the true toll may be far higher, with some assessments placing the number of deaths at 12,000 or more nationwide as of Tuesday, though such figures remain difficult to verify.
"TO ALL IRANIAN PATRIOTS — keep protesting, take over your institutions if possible, and save the names of the killers and the abusers… because they'll pay a very big price," says @POTUS.
"All I say to them is, 'Help is on its way.'" pic.twitter.com/A1hX0AwE1N
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 13, 2026
The same senior Iranian official said direct communications between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, claiming that U.S. threats have derailed diplomatic contacts tied to the ongoing nuclear dispute.
At the same time, Iran has paired its internal repression with increasingly explicit deterrent threats aimed at U.S. forces throughout the region. Senior Iranian adviser Ali Shamkhani reinforced those warnings Wednesday morning, publicly pointing to Iran’s prior missile strike on Al Udeid following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities last year as evidence of Tehran’s capacity and willingness to respond.
“If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” – President DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/ctNbfJD9jv
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 2, 2026
Trump’s rhetoric has intensified alongside the unrest. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, the president warned that the United States would take “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters. He also cautioned Tehran against retaliation, saying any response to U.S. action would be met at levels “never seen before.”
Those warnings follow days of escalating public statements from Trump tied directly to the regime’s crackdown. As previously reported, the president urged “Iranian Patriots” to “KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!,” promised that “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” and warned regime “killers and abusers” that they “will pay a big price.”
Trump first drew that red line earlier this month, stating the United States was “locked and loaded” if Iran began mass executions, as his administration moved to further isolate the regime diplomatically and economically.
Iran: U.S. citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing by land to Türkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so. Protests across Iran continue to escalate. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. The… pic.twitter.com/w9suu499Ef
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) January 13, 2026
The U.S. State Department has also urged American citizens to leave Iran, citing the rapidly deteriorating security environment as unrest and repression escalate.
For now, the reported timeline and the visible military posture are moving in parallel: U.S. forces are thinning out at critical bases across the Middle East, while Tehran continues to signal that any American strike would trigger retaliation.
Whether this standoff results in military action or a last-minute diplomatic off-ramp remains uncertain, but the region appears closer to open confrontation than at any point in recent years.
Source Breitbart
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