The State Department has ordered all non-emergency personnel to evacuate the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Iraq. The order is in response to what the White House says is a threat linked to Iran, though no further details were given. Iraqi officials expressed skepticism about any purported threats—as did a senior British official who is the deputy commander of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have continued to mount over recent days, despite both parties saying they are not seeking war. The U.S. recently deployed a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the region, claiming a “credible threat by Iranian regime forces.”