US resumes normal operations at Al Udeid base in Qatar

Normal operations have resumed at the United States' Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US Embassy said on Tuesday, signalling a reduced threat level after last week’s partial troop withdrawal amid rising US-Iran tensions.

Consular services at the US Embassy in Doha are also continuing as normal.

Authorities have nonetheless advised US personnel and citizens in Qatar to exercise caution and continue following the latest security guidance.

The decision follows a partial withdrawal last week of US troops from Al Udeid, the largest American military base in the Middle East, which hosts around 10,000 personnel.

US officials described the move at the time as a "precautionary measure" amid rising regional tensions linked to deadly nationwide protests in Iran. Washington had threatened possible direct intervention, while Tehran warned it could retaliate against US bases in the region.

The resumption of normal operations at Al Udeid therefore, signals a lowering of the threat level and suggests there is no imminent US strike on Iran, despite continued sharp rhetoric between the two sides.

Speaking in an interview with NewsNation on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he had given "very strong instructions" and warned that if Iran carried out any attacks, "they will be wiped off the face of the earth".

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, echoed the confrontational tone in an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal, warning that Tehran would be "firing back with everything we have" if it came under renewed attack.

At the same time, the United States has continued to bolster its military presence in the region.

US F-15E jet fighters arrived in Jordan on Sunday, US Central Command said. An aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln is also operating in the region, alongside destroyers, F-35 fighter jets and electronic jamming aircraft, according to flight-tracking data.

The Wall Street Journal has also reported that Patriot and THAAD air defence systems are being moved to the Middle East.

Speaking at a White House press conference on Tuesday, Trump said he remained open to the option of military action against Iran.

Death toll estimates for the protests in Iran vary widely, with figures ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands.