(JEWISH VOICE NEWS) The United States could launch a military operation against Iran within the next 24 hours, according to European and Israeli officials cited by Reuters, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

Two European officials told Reuters on Wednesday night that preparations appear to be underway for possible US intervention. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said it looked as though President Donald Trump had already made the decision to act, though the scale and precise timing of any operation remain uncertain, The Jerusalem Post reported.

As tensions escalate, Washington has begun repositioning forces across the Middle East. The US has quietly withdrawn some personnel from key regional installations as a precaution, according to an unnamed American official cited by Reuters and referenced by The Jerusalem Post. The moves are being described as a shift in military posture rather than a full evacuation.

The developments follow stark warnings from Tehran. Earlier Wednesday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran had informed neighboring countries hosting US troops that American bases would be targeted if Washington launches strikes against the Islamic Republic. Those warnings were reportedly delivered to countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Britain is mirroring the US approach. The UK has also begun pulling personnel from an airbase in Qatar, the i newspaper reported, amid fears of retaliatory Iranian strikes should the US move forward militarily. The drawdown comes as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar — the largest US military installation in the Middle East, housing roughly 10,000 troops — saw personnel instructed to depart by Wednesday evening, Reuters reported and The Jerusalem Post noted.

Diplomats familiar with the situation stressed that the troop movements are precautionary. “It’s a posture change and not an ordered evacuation,” one diplomat told Reuters, adding that no specific explanation had been provided for the adjustment, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The US embassy in Doha declined to comment, while Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation.

Meanwhile, President Trump has sharply escalated his rhetoric toward Tehran. The president has warned that any Iranian retaliation against the United States would trigger an overwhelming response, vowing consequences at levels “never seen before,” as The Jerusalem Post reported.

At the same time, diplomatic channels appear to be closing. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that direct communications between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended. Planned meetings aimed at resolving the long-running nuclear dispute have been scrapped, with Tehran blaming US military threats for undermining diplomacy, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Those remarks align with Trump’s statement earlier this week on Truth Social, where he said he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials. They also follow an Axios report that Araghchi had recently reached out to Witkoff to discuss ongoing protests inside Iran — talks that now appear to have collapsed as the region edges closer to open conflict.