Personnel advised to evacuate at key US base in Qatar as protests in Iran escalate

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Personnel at a key military base in Qatar have been advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure, as protests continue to rage in Iran and the death toll rises.

An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press about the decision to evacuate Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and would not divulge further information, citing the need for operational security.

Qatar responded to the move, stating that such measures were being “undertaken in response to the current regional tensions.”

“The IMO reaffirms that the State of Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,” Qatar’s International Media Office said on X.

President Donald Trump encouraged Iranian protesters on Tuesday, declaring, “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” in a social media post as the death toll from the unrest has reportedly reached 2,000.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”

Protests began late last month in Iran amid a crumbling currency and deeply troubled economy.

Other steps Trump has taken against Iran include cancelling all meetings with Iranian officials, vowing to intervene if more demonstrators were killed, and threatening a 25% tariff on countries that do business with Iran.

The base, which hosts thousands of U.S. service members, was targeted by Iran in June in retaliation for U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, brought up the destruction of the base in a post on X.

“The President of #America, who repeatedly mentions the futile story of aggression against #Iran’s nuclear facilities, would do better to also mention the plowing of the American #AlUdeid base by Iranian missiles,” he wrote. “It will certainly help in creating a real understanding of Iran’s will and capability to respond to any aggression.”

No American or Qatari personnel were harmed, the U.S. military’s Central Command said, noting that the two forces worked together to defend the base. A Qatari military officer said one of 19 missiles fired by Iran was not intercepted and hit the base, but Trump said in a social media post at the time that “hardly any damage was done.”

This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP)

Iranian and Qatari officials had spoken on Tuesday amid the deadly crackdown in Iran and America’s escalating threats to intervene if protesters are not spared.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had a phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister.

In a statement on X, Al Thani said that he “reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s backing of all de-escalation efforts, as well as peaceful solutions to enhance security and stability in the region.”

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Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.