Washington has advised its troops to evacuate Al-Udeid, the largest US military base in Qatar, to safer locations. US troops were warned to leave the base on Wednesday evening, Reuters news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources.
The US embassy in Qatar has not yet made an official statement on the matter. A diplomat told Reuters that this was not a complete withdrawal order, but part of a military redeployment. He said he was not aware of the specific reasons for the decision.
The largest US base in the Middle East is said to house around 10,000 troops. Iran had earlier fired missiles at the Al-Udeid base in response to a US attack in June last year.
Tensions are rising over possible US action in Iran amid ongoing anti-government protests. Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against US bases in the Middle East if Washington attacks.
In the context of such tense tensions, the news of the redeployment of US troops from Al-Udeid base has raised new concerns about the security situation in the Middle East.