Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday the authorization of the voluntary departure of U.S. military dependents from locations across the Middle East as tensions continue to rise.
A U.S. defense official told Fox News on Wednesday: “The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the CENTCOM AOR.”
The authorization affects U.S. bases throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility, which includes key flashpoints like Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
No U.S. uniformed service members in the Middle East will be evacuating, two U.S. defense officials told Fox News.
“CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time,” the official added.
While voluntary departures aren’t rare, they typically kick in when a security environment worsens. U.S. doctrine, such as JP 3‑68, explicitly provides for the voluntary departure of command-sponsored dependents at government expense whenever threats rise.
“Voluntary departure of command‑sponsored military dependents, nonessential DOD civilian employees and their families, families of essential DOD civilian employees, and DOD dependents schools’ staff and faculty to an announced safe haven is encouraged and authorized at government expense, with return also at government expense,” reads JP 3-68.
While the Department of Defense (DOD) has not cited a specific threat, the move comes as Iran-backed militias increase activity and regional instability grows.
The U.S. also recently pulled diplomats from the embassy in Iraq as tensions with neighboring Iran intensify.
“They are being moved out because it’s a dangerous place,” President Donald Trump told reporters outside the Kennedy Center Wednesday night. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not going to allow that.”
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel is preparing to carry out a military operation in Iran as the Middle East regime has refused to comply with U.N.-backed nuclear obligations.
Reports of an Israeli operation in Iran came on the heels of a U.N. watchdog report that found Iran is not fulfilling its nuclear obligations and will be slapped with censures as a result.
In response, Tehran announced it will construct a new enrichment facility “in a secure location.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a joint statement.
ANYONE WITH COMMON SENSE CAN SEE WHAT’S COMING!!!