US military intervention in Iran could come in the next 24 hours, two European officials said on Wednesday evening, Reuters reported.
An unnamed Israeli official also said it appeared US President Donald Trump had decided to intervene, though the scope and timing remained unclear.
The United States is withdrawing some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution amid heightened regional tensions, Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday, citing an unnamed US official.
The disclosure follows remarks by a senior Iranian official who told Reuters earlier on Wednesday that Tehran had warned neighbors hosting US troops that it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.
Britain is also withdrawing some personnel from an airbase in Qatar ahead of possible strikes by the United States, the i newspaper reported on Wednesday, mirroring the US.
Nations encourage their citizens to leave Iran
Polish citizens should leave Iran immediately, the Polish foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the immediate departure from Iran and advises against all travel to this country," it said in a post on X.
Italy has also appealed to its citizens to leave Iran due to the country's security situation, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
There are around 600 Italians in Iran, most of them in the Tehran area, it added
This comes less than 24 hours after the US urged its citizens to leave Iran, and advised them to consider departing by land to Turkey or Armenia, according to a notice released on Tuesday by the US virtual embassy in Tehran.
"US citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing Iran by land to Turkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so," the notice said.
US, UK withdraw military personnel from Mideast bases
This comes shortly after personnel were instructed specifically to depart the US military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening, according to Reuters, amid warnings from Washington that it could intervene to protect protesters in Iran.
The US embassy in Doha had no immediate comment, and Qatar's Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for confirmation or comment.
Al Udeid is the Middle East's largest US base, housing around 10,000 troops.
"It's a posture change and not an ordered evacuation," one of the diplomats told Reuters. The diplomat said he was not aware that a specific reason had been given for the posture change.
Earlier on Wednesday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran warned regional countries that it would strike US military bases in those countries in case of a US attack.
"Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that US bases in those countries will be attacked if the US targets Iran... asking these countries to prevent Washington from attacking Iran," the official told Reuters.
President Trump’s warnings to the Islamic Republic have included threats of military force. Trump also warned Iran against retaliating against the US, saying that if it did so, the US would respond at levels “never seen before.”
Iranian official confirms Washington-Tehran communications halted
The Iranian official also told Reuters that direct communications between Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended.
The senior official added that US threats undermine diplomatic efforts and that potential meetings between the two officials to find a diplomatic solution to a decades-long nuclear dispute have been canceled.
The comments confirm a statement made by Trump on Tuesday, when the president posted on his Truth Social social media platform that he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials.
The official’s comments also come in the wake of an Axios report on Monday stating that Araghchi had "reached out" to Witkoff over the weekend and that the two discussed the ongoing protests in Iran.