Three diplomats told Reuters on Wednesday that certain personnel at Al Udeid Air Base—the largest US military installation in the Middle East, home to roughly 10,000 troops—have been advised to depart by the end of the day. Officials described the move as a precautionary "posture change" rather than a full-ordered evacuation, with no signs of large-scale troop movements like those seen ahead of last year's US strikes on Iran.

The advisory follows heightened regional alerts: Iran's Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander stated Wednesday that the IRGC is at "peak readiness," with missile stockpiles expanded since the June 2025 conflict and wartime damage repaired. A senior Iranian official separately warned Reuters that Tehran has notified neighboring countries—including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey—that US bases on their soil would be targeted if Washington launches military action against Iran in response to the ongoing nationwide protests.

Compounding the unease, Israel's official state aircraft, the "Wing of Zion" (a Boeing 767 used for government transport), departed Nevatim Airbase earlier today and left Israeli airspace. Israeli sources described it as a routine, pre-scheduled maintenance and training flight, not linked to current events—though similar precautions were taken before prior Iranian attacks.