U.S. troops gathered in an auditorium to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on May 15, 2025. [UPI Yonhap News]

Reuters reported on the 14th (local time) that a recommendation for partial withdrawal was issued to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East.

According to multiple diplomats, some personnel stationed at Al Udeid Base were advised to leave the base by that evening. One diplomat stated that this was a "change in posture, not an evacuation" and that the specific reason for such a measure was unknown.

This development is noteworthy as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of military intervention in Iran's protests against economic hardship.

In an interview with CBS News the previous day, President Trump warned that if Iran's authorities execute protesters, "we will take very strong action."

President Trump also encouraged protesters on the social media platform Truth Social, writing, "To the patriots of Iran, keep protesting! The help is on the way."

Iran has responded to military threats from the U.S. and Israel by attacking U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

In June of last year, after its nuclear facilities were bombed by Israel and the U.S., the Iranian military fired missiles targeting the Al Udeid Base.

Therefore, there are interpretations that the evacuation order for Al Udeid Air Base could be a measure to prepare for an Iranian counterattack before the U.S. military intervenes in Iran.

Reuters, citing Iranian state media, reported that Majid Mousavi, commander of the aerospace force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite military force, stated, "We are at the highest level of combat readiness to respond to any attack."