WASHINGTON — The United States has reportedly gone on high alert amid
growing concerns of a potential Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities,
local media reported.
The Trump administration is fearing that Israel may act
unilaterally without Washington's consent if negotiations between the US and
Iran collapse, according to the Washington Post.
President Donald Trump, addressing the situation on
Wednesday, stated that US personnel are being moved out of certain Middle
Eastern regions, particularly Iran, due to the escalating risk of conflict.
"They (US personnel) are being moved out because it
could be a dangerous place, and we will see what happens... We have given
notice to move out," Trump told reporters.
The US State Department has also permitted some
diplomatic staff to leave Iraq, while the Pentagon has authorised military
families to voluntarily depart from American bases throughout the region.
This uptick in security measures comes as hopes for a
nuclear agreement between Washington and Tehran continue to fade, raising the
spectre of another military confrontation in the Middle East following the
recent Israel-Hamas conflict.
Trump reiterated his uncompromising stance on Iran's
nuclear ambitions, asserting, "They can't have a nuclear weapon. Very
simple. They can't have a nuclear weapon. We're not going to allow that,"
when asked whether diplomatic solutions were still possible.
Last month, Axios reported that Israel was preparing for
a rapid strike on Iran if the US-Iran talks failed.
Trump has previously threatened military action against
Iran should nuclear negotiations stall, and in an interview with the New York
Post earlier on Wednesday, admitted he was becoming "less confident"
that Tehran would agree to halt uranium enrichment, one of the key conditions
demanded by the US.
Recent months have seen rising concerns among US
intelligence officials that Tel Aviv might move ahead with a strike on Iran's
nuclear infrastructure without notifying Washington.
In response, Iran has warned that any Israeli strike,
given the US' role as Israel's key military and political backer, would have
direct consequences for the United States.
In a post on X on Thursday, the Iranian government
declared, "We are Ready."
Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a stern
warning on Wednesday, stating that any attack on Iran would be met with
retaliatory strikes on US bases stationed in the Middle East.
In anticipation of potential fallout, Washington has
ordered US embassies located within Iran's strike range -- including those in
the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa -- to activate emergency
action committees.
These missions have been instructed to report back on
security measures to mitigate potential risks. The State Department has
reportedly also authorised voluntary departures from missions in Bahrain and
Kuwait.
This precautionary approach led Secretary of State Marco
Rubio to update the global travel advisory on Wednesday, stating, "On June
11, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US
government personnel due to heightened regional tensions."
