US Defense Official to Shafaq News: Middle East tensions under watch

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the US Department of Defense confirmed that it has authorized the voluntary departure of military families from several locations within the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, which covers Iraq and other countries across the Middle East.

“The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East,” a US Defense Official told Shafaq News, adding that “CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad affirmed to Shafaq News that “US President Donald Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad”, explaining that “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 senior Iraqi government official told Shafaq News that “There are no security indicators on the Iraqi side that justify an evacuation,’ clarifying, “steps concern the American diplomatic presence in several countries in the region, not Iraq alone”.

These developments come amid rising regional tensions, particularly following comments by Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, who warned that Iran would strike US bases in the region if a confrontation erupted with Washington over nuclear negotiation.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, D.C.