The United States is reportedly reducing its military presence at bases across the West Asia region and cutting staffing levels at several diplomatic missions in the region amid the threat of Iranian retaliation to any fresh American-Israeli aggression.

NBC News carried the report on Wednesday, noting how regional American facilities came under Iranian retaliatory strikes throughout the latest round of such aggression, resulting in significant US casualties.

According to the report, US military personnel stationed at bases in Jordan are among those who have been relocated, while Washington is also withdrawing troops from facilities in Kuwait and Qatar as the military scales back its presence across the region.

A day earlier, it was reported that the US Department of War was reassessing the future of its military installations across West Asia following Iranian retaliatory strikes in the face of the latest American-Israeli aggression that damaged several key US facilities.

A senior Department of War official said the department was working with US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the American troops deployed to the region, to evaluate damaged facilities and determine which installations would be needed under Washington’s future military posture, Washington-based news outlet Breaking Defense reported.

Among the facilities struck by Iran as part of its response to the February 28-April 7 aggression was Qatar’s al-Udeid Airbase, the US’s biggest such regional outpost. The retaliation rendered the department’s Combined Air Operations Center there inoperable.

US military installations in Saudi Arabia and Jordan were also targeted, while military infrastructure in Bahrain sustained major damage, with devastating effects to the US military’s regional logistical efficacy.

Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao has acknowledged the extent of the destruction in Bahrain, saying “they blew the hell out of Bahrain.” Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle has separately indicated that the US Navy’s return to Naval Support Activity Bahrain would not happen in the near term.

According to NBC News, alongside the military drawdown, chiefs of mission at several US diplomatic posts in the region were also notified on Wednesday that they would operate with reduced staffing.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, however, denied an earlier Reuters report that the United States was preparing to order some personnel and family members to leave US embassies across West Asia, but confirmed that an ordered departure had been issued for Saudi Arabia.

Washington cites Yemen retaliation

Pigott cited escalating operations by Yemen’s Armed Forces as the reason for the departure order.

Since July, the servicemen have been implementing a policy of “a siege for a siege” and “escalation for escalation” in order to force the kingdom to abandon its campaign of blockade and aggression against the impoverished Arab Peninsula country.

“The safety and security of department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them,” the spokesman said.