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Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran in the next few possible days, sources suggest as tensions have escalated in Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (IMAGE: AFP)
Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran in the next few possible days, US officials were informed. Following this, the US anticipates that Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq. This is part of the reason the US advised some Americans to leave the region earlier on Thursday.
The State Department has also ordered non-emergency government officials to exit Iraq due to “heightened regional tensions”. The US is planning to pull all non-essential staff from embassies and US bases in Tehran’s strike range in the Middle Eastern countries. The US military bases in the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait have also been put on red alert.
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is still planning to meet with Iran for a sixth round of talks on the country’s nuclear program in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Trump stated that the United States won’t allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. The President also said US personnel were being moved out of the Middle East because “it could be a dangerous place”.
Middle East On Verge Of War
As tensions escalated in the region, the Iran authorities have reportedly launched a cyber attack on US allied nations in the Middle East. Tehran is actively jamming the GPS system and coordinating over Iranian and Iraqi airspaces.
In addition to this, several airspace closures have also been witnessed in the region, especially Israel, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq.
Netanyahu Calls Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called US President Trump and discussed possible Israeli attacks on Irani nuclear facilities, sources said.
In response, the Iranian National Security Council has claimed possible retaliation against Israeli attacks and stated that it will target US bases and Israel with full force.
‘Iran Can’t Have Nuclear Weapon’: Trump
Trump, on Thursday, while attending a performance of Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center said that the US military personnel are being moved out of some countries in the Middle East because it would otherwise be perilous. The comments come after a failed round of talks of the US with Iran.
“They can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not going to allow that,” the US President added.
US Orders Troops Out Of Middle East
The US is withdrawing the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the US State Department and military said. The development came as tensions between US and Iran rose amid deteriorating nuclear talks, as per The Times of Israel.
“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq,” a State Department official told The Times of Israel.
The department also authorised the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait, giving them an option on whether to leave the country, as per The Times of Israel.
Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse.
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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