Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday that he has directed “the deployment of additional capabilities” to the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region. “Protecting US forces is

Concern about a strike and the prospect of retaliation led the United States to withdraw diplomats from Iraq and authorize the voluntary departure of U.S. military family members from the Middle East.

Non-essential American embassy staff and their dependents in Baghdad are evacuating from Iraq due to heightened security risks, US government sources said on Wednesday. Officials did not say exactly what prompted the removal, however in recent days talks over Iran's nuclear programme appear to have stalled.