Iran Warns Neighbours It Could Strike US Bases if Washington Intervenes in Protests

Dubai/Doha: Tehran has warned neighbouring countries hosting U.S. troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington carries out threats to intervene in protests in Iran, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Three diplomats said some personnel had been advised to leave the main U.S. air base in the region, although there were no immediate signs of a large-scale evacuation of troops as took place in the hours before an Iranian missile attack last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where a rights group said 2,600 people have been killed in recent days in a crackdown on one of the biggest ever protest movements against clerical rule.

According to an Israeli assessment, Trump has decided to intervene, although the scope and timing of this action remains unclear, an Israeli official said. The three diplomats told Reuters that some personnel had been advised to leave the U.S. military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening.

One of the diplomats described the move as a "posture change" rather than an "ordered evacuation". There was no sign of a large-scale movement of troops off the base to a nearby soccer stadium and shopping mall, as took place last year in the hours before Iran targeted the base with missiles in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear targets.

The U.S. embassy in Doha had no immediate comment and Qatar's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has been openly threatening to intervene in Iran for days, though without giving specifics.

In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump vowed "very strong action" if Iran executes protesters. "If they hang them, you're going to see some things," he said. He also urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting and take over institutions, declaring "help is on the way".

The Iranian official, a senior figure speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had asked U.S. allies in the region to "prevent Washington from attacking Iran". Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked" if the U.S. targets Iran, the official said.

The official added that direct contacts between Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended, reflecting mounting tensions.

A second Israeli source, a government official, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet was briefed late on Tuesday about the chances of regime collapse or U.S. intervention in Iran. Israel fought a 12-day war against its arch-foe last year, which the United States joined at the end.

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