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Amid escalating tensions with Iran and the US ordering nonessential staff out of key embassies in the Middle East, the Pentagon has now authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from bases across the region.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you haven’t been following along, US-Iran nuclear talks appear to be heading for a wall as negotiations remain deadlocked over Iran’s continued uranium enrichment (an issue the US has labeled a firm red line). President Trump recently signaled that the diplomatic effort is falling apart, expressing a loss of confidence that Iran will agree to suspend its enrichment activities. Today, Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a direct threat, warning that if diplomacy fails and either the US or Israel strikes Iran, all American military bases in the region would be targeted. He also claimed that US casualties would surpass Iran’s. These developments come just days after Trump held a meeting with senior military and national security officials at Camp David, with Iran’s advancing nuclear program reportedly dominating the agenda.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized the voluntary departure of US military dependents from bases across the Middle East. The authorization applies across the entire US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, which spans from Egypt to Pakistan.
The Pentagon’s action comes as CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla confirmed during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday that he has delivered a range of military strike options to both Secretary Hegseth and President Trump to target Iran’s nuclear program. He also emphasized the growing risk of Iran’s nuclear progress, stating that the country is continuing to enrich uranium to 60% purity — a level for which he stressed “there are no legitimate civilian uses.”
Kurilla also spoke about the issues with unilateral military action from Israel against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, warning that such a move could directly endanger US personnel in the region. “I think it would increase risk to our forces in the region,” he said, adding that CENTCOM is conducting daily assessments and making regular adjustments to US military posture.
