War Monitor

Similar to the buildup ahead of last June’s strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear enrichment facilities, sources say military aircraft at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—including roughly a dozen U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers—have either been evacuated or are preparing to relocate to other bases inside and outside the Middle East. Satellite imagery from last year showed Al Udeid completely cleared of aircraft by June 17, ahead of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on June 22 and Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile attack on the base the following day.

The United States has begun evacuating hundreds of troops from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East—ahead of potential military action against Iran ordered by President Donald J. Trump. According to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the matter cited by NBC News, personnel are being relocated to other regional facilities and hotels to reduce risk in the event an attack prompts Iranian retaliation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that when the United States acts while disregarding the very norms it once promoted, it leads to the conclusion that American counterparts are unreliable.

Politico reports that the European Union may appoint a separate negotiator to manage contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The proposal is backed by France and Italy, along with parts of the European Commission and several other member states. The discussions come amid a stall in the White House’s peace efforts and growing concern in Europe that the United States could strike an agreement with Russia without European involvement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that when the United States turns to unfair competitive practices, it signals that America’s competitive position is weakening.

Reza Pahlavi said: “We’ve seen more casualties in just the past two days—four times the number of people killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. More than 12,000 so far, and the number could be higher.”

Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez plans to send an envoy to Washington to meet with senior U.S. officials on the same day that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will be in town for her own talks in the wake of Nicolas Maduro’s ouster. - Bloomberg

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying, “He’s been a lousy Fed chairman. He’s kept interest rates too high, and I call him ‘Too Late.’ He’s overseeing a construction situation that’s costing billions and billions of dollars, and it looks like it won’t open for a long time. He’s either corrupt or incompetent.”

The United States is studying ways to help fund the massive task of rebuilding Venezuela’s infrastructure, possibly including the use of government agencies like the International Development Finance Corp., according to a White House official. - Bloomberg

According to officials and individuals close to the White House who spoke anonymously to The Washington Post, arguments within the Trump administration against striking Iran include the risk of accidents or operational failures during high-risk military and intelligence activities, as well as concerns that the collapse of Iran’s government could result in an even more militant regime or create another failed state in the Middle East.