UK withdrawing some military personnel from Qatar base: Reports

LONDON

Britain is pulling some personnel from the al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, where the Royal Air Force (RAF) is stationed alongside US troops, as President Donald Trump weighs action against Iran, media reports said on Wednesday.

The BBC said it understands some UK military personnel are being removed, along with the US.

Separately, the Telegraph, citing flight data, said an RAF plane flew this morning from RAF Akrotiri in Southern Cyprus to the Qatari base, and is now returning to Southern Cyprus.

The UK has yet to issue an official statement.

"To all Iranian patriots, keep protesting," Trump had said on Tuesday. He urged Iranians to "take over institutions" and warned that those identified as "killers and abusers" would “pay a very big price.”

Trump earlier pledged to “come to the rescue” of Iranian protesters should the government use lethal force against them.