The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest.

Pete Hegseth authorized U.S. military dependents in the Middle East to voluntarily depart amid increased tension in the Middle East.

Shapiro served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East until January—charged with, among other things, considering scenarios in which tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into all-out war and preparing U.

As of mid-2025, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 US troops in the Middle East, comprising personnel stationed in both large, permanent bases and smaller forward sites across the region.

The United States has pulled some diplomatic staff and military families out of the Middle East, citing unspecified regional security risks.

During his visit to the Middle East in May, U.S. President Donald Trump did several things that few would have predicted months or even weeks earlier. One was his surprise meeting with Syria’s new leader,

Ukraine's president said the Biden administration had agreed to send the specialized anti-drone weapons, but they've been sent to the Middle East.

The travel ban barring citizens from mainly African and Middle Eastern countries went into effect on Monday.