Doha has confirmed that precautionary measures have been taken at Al Udeid Airport in , including the withdrawal of some staff, due to rising regional tensions over the .
Qatar’s international media service said the measures are part of broader efforts to protect the safety of citizens and residents and protect critical infrastructure and military installations, adding that any further developments will be announced through official channels.
The evacuation had begun early
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters earlier that the US was withdrawing some of its personnel from critical military bases in the Middle East region as a precautionary measure given heightened regional tensions.
Also earlier, two diplomatic sources told AFP that some personnel at the Al Udeid base had been ordered to leave the base by Wednesday evening.
Al Udeid is the largest US airbase in the Middle East with a military force of around 10,000. The base also houses the headquarters of the US Central Command for the Middle East (Centcom).
It has also been targeted by Iran in the past
Ahead of the US strikes against Iran in June, some personnel were transferred to other US bases in the Middle East. Iran fired missiles at the Al Udeid base last year in response to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Tehran has warned US allies in the Middle East that it will hit US bases on their soil if Washington strikes against Iran, it told Reuters today after Donald Trump threatened US intervention in a show of support for Iranian protesters.
