US Military Intervention in Iran Possible Within 24 Hours, European Officials Say

The clock is ticking toward a potential American reckoning with the mullahs in Tehran, where brave Iranians have risen for 17 days against a regime that has drowned their streets in blood and their dreams in tyranny.

The Islamic Republic, cornered and desperate, now faces the very real prospect of U.S. military intervention as President Donald Trump signals that the days of endless patience with this murderous theocracy are over.

European officials told Reuters on Wednesday that U.S. military intervention in Iran could begin within the next 24 hours.

An unnamed Israeli official said it appeared Trump had decided to intervene, though the scope and timing remained unclear.

This comes as the United States withdraws some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution amid heightened tensions, according to a U.S. official cited by Reuters.

Britain is also withdrawing personnel from an air base in Qatar, mirroring the U.S. move, the i newspaper reported.

The U.S. embassy in Doha had no immediate comment, and Qatar's Foreign Affairs Ministry did not respond to requests for confirmation.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East with around 10,000 troops, saw personnel instructed to depart by Wednesday evening.

Diplomats described the action as a "posture change" rather than a full evacuation.

Tehran has warned neighboring countries hosting U.S. troops—from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Turkey—that American bases would be attacked if Washington strikes Iran.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had asked these nations to prevent any U.S. attack.

Direct communications between Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, the official added.

This confirms Trump's Truth Social post on Tuesday that he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials.

Potential diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing nuclear dispute have been derailed, the official said.

Trump has repeatedly threatened military force.

In a CBS News interview on Tuesday, he vowed "very strong action" if Iran executes protesters, stating, "When they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging, we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good."

He also urged Iranians to keep protesting, declaring on Truth Social, "Help is on the way."

Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, urged swift trials and executions for detained protesters, saying speed was critical to deter further unrest.

Yet, on Wednesday, Trump told reporters he was told the "executions have stopped."

A human rights group reported at least 2,403 protester deaths, with other estimates reaching 3,428 or higher amid a brutal crackdown involving heavy weapons.

Fears center on 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, arrested six days ago in Fardis near Tehran, who faced imminent execution on Wednesday, though reports later indicated it had not occurred.

Hengaw, a Kurdish rights group, could not confirm the execution, and Reuters could not independently verify it.

Nations have urged citizens to leave Iran.

The U.S. virtual embassy in Tehran advised on Tuesday, "US citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing Iran by land to Turkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so."

Poland's foreign ministry urged its citizens in Iran to evacuate, posting on X, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the immediate departure from Iran and advises against all travel to this country."

Italy appealed to its roughly 600 citizens, mostly in Tehran, to leave due to the security situation.

The mullahs' regime, battered by last year's war and weakened proxies, clings to power through terror while mocking Trump with state TV displays of his 2024 assassination attempt survival, captioned "this time it will not miss."

Yet the streets of Iran echo with cries for freedom, and the world watches as a president who promised to confront evil now stands at the precipice.

The tyrants in Tehran have sown the wind; they may soon reap the whirlwind.

WATCH:

Help is on the way—and the clock is running out.