U.S. reducing troop footprint in Middle East, sources say

Key Points:

• The U.S. military is quietly reducing its presence in the Middle East amid ongoing threats from Iran-backed Houthis and Iran itself, with several U.S. embassies operating under restricted status and non-essential personnel ordered to leave Saudi Arabia.
• A recent Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, killed one person and injured eight, while debris from an intercepted drone strike on a Saudi oil facility killed two others.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that indirect negotiations with the U.S. continue over a seven-day ceasefire proposal, despite President Trump's initial rejection, while Iran warned it may target undersea internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz if attacked.
• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has directed military and intelligence services to topple the Iranian regime, while Saudi Arabia is reportedly discussing deploying up to 10,000 Syrian fighters to combat the Houthis in Yemen.
• President Trump claimed the U.S. is "doing very well" in the conflict with Iran and is deciding whether to "win the nice way or the not nice way," despite the war dragging on for nearly eight months with no resolution.