The United States has begun reducing its military presence at several bases across the Middle East while ordering additional diplomatic personnel to leave posts in the region, as President Donald Trump considers launching another major military operation against Iran, NBC News reported on Wednesday.
According to two American officials and two people familiar with the developments, the Pentagon has quietly relocated troops in recent days in response to continuing regional security threats, including those posed by Iran.
The State Department is simultaneously implementing further staffing reductions at American diplomatic facilities, reflecting preparations similar to those undertaken before the war with Iran began in February.
American personnel stationed at military bases in Jordan are among those being relocated, according to the sources cited by NBC News. Troops at installations in Qatar and Kuwait have also been included in the drawdown.
The movements come as senior military commanders present Trump with options for renewed strikes against Iranian targets.
On Wednesday, senior American diplomats at several missions across the Middle East were informed that their facilities would begin operating with fewer personnel.
The State Department also announced that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia had been placed under “ordered departure" status, requiring the mission to operate with emergency personnel only.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott attributed the heightened security concerns in Saudi Arabia to attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis.
“Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions," Pigott wrote on social media.
He emphasized that protecting American diplomatic personnel and their families remains a central priority.
“The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them," he stated.
Many American diplomatic missions in the region have already been operating with reduced personnel since the beginning of the war.
As the conflict continued, the State Department introduced a new designation, “restricted operations," allowing diplomatic facilities to function with somewhat greater staffing flexibility than under more stringent emergency restrictions.
According to NBC News, that arrangement has gradually become standard practice at several regional missions.
US Central Command declined to provide details about the troop movements, citing operational security considerations.
“We regularly move US service members and assets to optimize mission readiness," CENTCOM spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said.
“We do not discuss related movements for operational security reasons," Hawkins added. “US forces remain vigilant and ready to protect American personnel and interests across the region."
The Pentagon referred questions about the military redeployments to CENTCOM, while the White House did not respond directly to a request for comment.
The troop movements are taking place as the Trump administration evaluates whether to resume major combat operations against Iran, potentially before or after the November 3 congressional midterm elections.
Trump has been seeking a way to conclude the conflict, now entering its eighth month, either through negotiations or additional military pressure.
Sources familiar with the administration's deliberations said no final decision had been reached.
The President previously ruled out new American attacks before the midterms.
In an October 8 post on Truth Social, Trump declared that “we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd."
He also described Iran as being in “very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily," while saying Washington was engaged in “productive discussions" with Tehran.
Nevertheless, military officials have continued developing potential strike plans.
The possibility of another military campaign has reportedly prompted differing views among Trump's senior advisers.
According to an American official and a former official cited by NBC News, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is among those privately advocating a resumption of military operations against Iran.
Other administration officials have expressed reservations about launching another major campaign without a clearly defined objective for ending the fighting.
Hegseth visited Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Neither side disclosed the substance of their discussions.
Asked about Hegseth's private conversations with Trump, a senior Defense Department official said, according to NBC News, “The department does not comment on the secretary’s private discussions with the president."
One approach under consideration involves combining additional military pressure with the economic damage already inflicted on Iran in an effort to persuade Tehran to negotiate an end to the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Administration discussions have examined whether further strikes could intensify Iran's economic difficulties sufficiently to bring its leadership back to negotiations.
According to one American official, a renewed operation could be relatively brief, resembling Operation Midnight Hammer, the US military campaign conducted against Iran in June 2025.
Trump has also declined to rule out the use of particularly powerful conventional weapons against Iranian infrastructure.
During an interview with Newsmax last week, the President was asked about the possibility of deploying the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, commonly known as the Mother of All Bombs, or MOAB.
Trump emphasized that the weapon is conventional rather than nuclear, while reiterating that he did not consider nuclear weapons necessary for confronting Iran.
“This is just an extremely large bomb. It’s like a tiny nuclear bomb, and -- but the mother of all bombs is one big bomb," Trump said.
“But it’s not nuclear. No, I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to. We’re the greatest nuclear power in the world."