The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest.

After Israel launched an attack on Iran, the United States has begun moving its military resources towards the Middle East, considering the possibility of a retaliatory attack by Iran. Here are more details.

President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. personnel are being "moved out" of parts of the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Israel and Iran.

The United States has pulled some diplomatic staff and military families out of the Middle East, citing unspecified regional security risks.

Shapiro served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East until January—charged with, among other things, considering scenarios in which tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into all-out war and preparing U.

The collapse of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Assad presented an “opportunity” for Israel to expand its war across the Middle East.

As of mid-2025, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 US troops in the Middle East, comprising personnel stationed in both large, permanent bases and smaller forward sites across the region.

Increased tensions in the Middle East may lead to an escalation in military activity that could impact shipping in critical waterways, Britain's maritime agency said on Wednesday.