U.S. Pulls Staff From Iraq After Warning of Iran-Backed Threats

The U.S. ordered its non-emergency government staff to leave Iraq, days after denouncing a rising threat to Americans from forces backed by neighboring Iran and deploying warships and B-52 bombers to the Gulf.

Employees at the embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil, in the majority Kurdish region, are to leave due to an “increased threat stream,” according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

While it didn’t elaborate, the Trump administration pointed the finger at Iran-aided Shiite militias after pulling staff from the Basra consulate in September, and Secretary...