U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has recently authorized the voluntary evacuation of military personnel's families from the Middle East. According to reports from Reuters and the Associated Press, this move primarily targets the increasingly tense security situation in Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait, particularly the potential threats faced by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
According to sources, this evacuation is of a "voluntary nature" and is not a mandatory order. The U.S. side recommends that those wishing to evacuate prioritize leaving via commercial flights, while the military has made preparations to respond to emergencies. Additionally, the U.S. military base in Qatar is still operating normally and has not issued a similar evacuation directive.
This decision comes at a time when tensions between Iran and Western countries over nuclear issues are escalating, and the International Atomic Energy Agency is discussing new condemnations of Iran. Analysts believe that the U.S. aims to mitigate the impact of potential conflicts on the safety of military families and to prepare for possible changes in the regional situation in advance.