Gulf Allies Push Diplomacy as Israel and Trump Signal Readiness for Further Strikes Over Iran Protest Crackdown
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman mounted 72 hours of intensive diplomacy urging restraint to avert a U.S.–Iran military clash, delivering coordinated messages to Washington and warning Tehran that attacks on U.S. facilities would damage ties with Arab neighbors as U.S. embassies urged Americans to avoid bases; the U.S. also withdrew a small number of personnel from Al Udeid air base as a precaution and Iran briefly closed its airspace. At the same time Israel’s U.N. ambassador and President Trump signaled readiness for further strikes over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters—Israel saying it is at “high readiness” and Trump threatening “very strong action” but indicating a possible pause after reports the hangings were being canceled—while Iran warned of global retaliation if its leadership is targeted.
📌 Key Facts
- U.S. officials confirm a small number of personnel are being withdrawn from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution amid rising tensions with Iran; CBS links the drawdown to President Trump’s public threats to take “very strong action” if Iran hangs protesters.
- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman conducted a 72‑hour, coordinated diplomatic push to avert a U.S.–Iran military conflict, urging Washington to refrain from strikes because of regional security and economic risks and warning Tehran that attacking U.S. facilities would damage its ties with Arab neighbors.
- Diplomatic sources say Iran told several states they would be targets of missile attacks if the U.S. strikes, prompting U.S. embassies in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to urge Americans to avoid military bases; Iran also briefly closed its airspace overnight, apparently anticipating possible military action.
- President Trump has repeatedly threatened strong action if Iran executes protesters but has signaled a possible pause after saying he’d heard the “killing in Iran is stopping,” and thanked Iran on Truth Social for allegedly canceling “over 800” planned hangings—comments tied to the decision not to strike so far.
- Israel’s U.N. ambassador said Israel is at “high readiness” and prepared to use offensive capabilities against Iran if necessary, linking the posture to last year’s Operation Rising Lion and the U.S. Operation Midnight Hammer and framing any renewed large‑scale attack as effectively a U.S. call.
- Iranian military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi threatened global retaliation if Supreme Leader Khamenei is targeted, vowing to “set fire to their world.”
- CBS noted precedent for the precaution: a similar partial reduction at Al Udeid last summer limited casualties when Iran retaliated to Operation Midnight Hammer with roughly a dozen ballistic missiles that were largely intercepted; coverage also included expert analysis and White House sourcing on the administration’s planning calculus toward Iran.
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 21, 2026
12:38 AM
Israeli UN ambassador sends stark warning to Iran amid growing unrest
New information:
- Israel’s UN ambassador publicly confirmed Israel is at 'high readiness' and ready to use offensive capabilities against Iran if necessary.
- Danon explicitly linked Israel’s current posture to its prior June 2025 Operation Rising Lion and the U.S. Operation Midnight Hammer that struck key nuclear sites.
- He framed any renewed attack on Iran as a U.S. call, while implying that if Iran attacked Israel, 'the U.S. or somebody else will attack them.'
- Iranian military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi threatened to retaliate globally if Khamenei is targeted, vowing to 'set fire to their world.'
- Trump tied his decision not to strike so far to reports of canceled mass executions, thanking Iran on Truth Social for allegedly dropping 'over 800' planned hangings.
January 16, 2026
2:12 PM
Gulf states pushed intensive diplomacy to avert conflict between Iran and U.S., Gulf official says
New information:
- CBS piece restates that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman engaged in a 72‑hour intensive diplomatic effort to lower tensions between the U.S. and Iran amid weeks of anti‑government protests in Iran.
- The segment emphasizes that the effort was explicitly aimed at averting direct conflict between Washington and Tehran after the regime’s furious response to protests.
- It attributes the description of the 72‑hour effort to an unnamed but identified 'Gulf official' and frames the diplomacy as focused on ‘lowering the temperature’ on both sides.
January 15, 2026
11:13 PM
Gulf states engaged in intensive diplomacy to avert U.S.-Iran conflict, official says
New information:
- A Gulf official says Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman have engaged in 72 hours of 'intensive diplomacy' aimed specifically at preventing a U.S.–Iran military conflict.
- Those states have delivered coordinated, contrasting messages: urging Washington to refrain from strikes because of regional security and economic risks, and warning Tehran that attacking U.S. facilities in the Gulf would damage its ties with Arab neighbors.
- Two diplomatic sources say Iran has explicitly told several states they would be targets of missile attacks if the U.S. strikes, prompting U.S. embassies in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to urge Americans to avoid military bases.
- The article confirms a U.S. pullout of some personnel from Al Udeid Air Base as a 'precautionary measure' tied to these tensions, and notes Iran briefly closed its airspace overnight, apparently in anticipation of possible military action.
- President Trump, while still threatening 'very strong action' if Iran hangs protesters, now says he has heard the 'killing in Iran is stopping' and is signaling a possible pause, saying, 'We're going to watch and see what the process is.'
January 14, 2026
7:29 PM
U.S. reduces some personnel at Qatar airbase as Trump threatens action in Iran
New information:
- A U.S. official tells CBS News the U.S. is withdrawing some personnel from a major airbase in Qatar as a 'precautionary measure.'
- CBS situates the partial withdrawal explicitly in the context of President Trump’s current public threats to take action against Iran.
- The segment adds expert analysis (Alex Vatanka, Middle East Institute) and fresh White House sourcing (Olivia Rinaldi) on the administration’s planning calculus toward Iran.
5:49 PM
U.S. reduces some personnel at airbase in Qatar as tensions rise with Iran
New information:
- U.S. officials confirm a 'small number' of personnel are being withdrawn from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precautionary measure amid rising tensions with Iran.
- The drawdown is explicitly linked to Trump’s current threats to take 'very strong action' if Iran begins hanging protesters during the ongoing crackdown.
- CBS details that a similar reduction in forces at Al Udeid last summer, around Operation Midnight Hammer’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, limited casualties when Iran retaliated with about a dozen ballistic missiles that were largely intercepted.
January 13, 2026