JUST IN - Evacuation orders underway due to hazardous nitric acid leak in Vinton County, Ohio

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U.S. Embassies and other diplomatic sites in countries across the Middle East are being prepared for evacuation, after Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh threatened to attack U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East earlier today if tensions continue to escalate in the region or if nuclear talks collapse between Tehran and Washington.

Initial reports that Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the home of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. Fifth Fleet, as well as other bases near the Persian Gulf have been placed on “High Alert”, with the dependents of servicemembers being told to prepare for evacuation, possibly due to concerns of military action related to Iran.

The U.S. State Department is preparing to order the departure of all non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, as well as non-essential personnel and family members also located in Bahrain and Kuwait.