NYT learned about the evacuation of US troops from their bases in the Middle East

The United States has begun evacuating some of its military personnel from bases in the Middle East, including the Al-Udeid air Base in Qatar and facilities in Bahrain, where the 5th Flotilla of the US Navy is stationed. This was reported on February 20 by The New York Times (NYT).

"The decision was made against the background of rising tensions with Iran and the threat of retaliatory strikes. In June last year, Tehran fired missiles at American troops at a base in Qatar, while the Iranian authorities notified them in advance of their actions," the publication says.

The Pentagon fears new attacks and is keeping two aircraft carriers at a safe distance from Iran to protect them from a possible ballistic missile strike. According to the authors of the material, it may be about preparing for a longer conflict.

It is specified that there are now from 30 to 40 thousand American troops in the Middle East, and the US Navy is represented by 17 ships, which is a quarter of all ships deployed around the world.

US President Donald Trump has said he is considering a limited strike on Iran to put pressure on Tehran to reach a deal. The authors of the article warn that the uncertainty of the targets could lead to an escalation of the conflict, and Iran, in the event of an attack, promised to consider all US bases and assets in the region as legitimate targets for a retaliatory strike.

An attack on Iran could lead to a protracted conflict in the region. What the media is writing

On the same day, Axios learned about the US plan to eliminate the leader of Iran and his son. It was clarified that such an option is being discussed as one of the possible steps.

In addition, Trump said at a White House press conference on February 20 that Iran should have made a deal with the United States. He also allowed the option of a limited strike on Iran in order to force Tehran to agree to more favorable terms of the nuclear deal for Washington.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 19 that Russia sees an "unprecedented escalation" around Iran and hopes for a diplomatic solution to the conflict with the United States. He clarified that Moscow continues to develop relations with Tehran, and called on the parties to the conflict to exercise restraint.

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