NYT: US evacuates troops from Qatar and Bahrain amid Iran tensions

Hundreds of American servicemen have been evacuated from Qatar and Bahrain amid preparations for a possible conflict with Iran, The New York Times reported, citing Pentagon officials.

According to the newspaper, personnel were withdrawn from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as well as from a group of US bases in Bahrain, where the US Navy’s United States Fifth Fleet is stationed.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he was considering the possibility of carrying out a “limited” strike on Iranian territory. He made the remarks ahead of a meeting with governors at the White House.

In June 2025, Iran launched a series of missiles at US military facilities in Qatar. The main target was Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the headquarters of US Air Forces and one of the largest American military contingents in the region.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated that the operation was not directed against Qatar and posed no threat to its population. Qatar’s Ministry of Defence reported no casualties or injuries. The New York Times also wrote at the time that Tehran had coordinated the missile strike on the base in advance with the Qatari authorities. US officials likewise claimed that base personnel had been evacuated a week before the attack.

By Vugar Khalilov