An imminent Israeli strike on Iran is possible as early as the next few days, as Western forces across the Middle East brace for military escalation. In the past several hours, a series of announcements and posture shifts have taken place across the Middle East.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning to vessels transiting the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Straits of Hormuz, citing a potential escalation in military activity. U.S. forces in Bahrain and have been placed on high alert, and the U.S. state department has authorized non-essential personnel and family members to depart from both Bahrain and Kuwait.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. is also preparing to evacuate its embassy in Baghdad by the end of the weekend. U.S. military assets in the region are adjusting accordingly. At Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, operations remain normal, but anti-air defense rotations and logistical preparations have been quietly ongoing for several weeks. In Israel, a series of high-profile security officials were seen arriving at the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem earlier today, and air defenses have been visibly repositioned to sensitive sites across the country, particularly around Nevatim Air Base and the Dimona Nuclear Facility.

These developments follow a call earlier this week between Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which Netanyahu reportedly warned that Iran was using negotiations to stall for time and insisted that only a credible military threat would change the current trajectory. There is currently no indication that the U.S. intends to participate directly in any offensive action. However, the posture changes are likely a result of intelligence suggesting Israel has decided to move forward with an attack on Iran and its nuclear infrastructure, potentially as early as this week.