Hungarian soldiers stationed in northern Iraq have temporarily left the country due to the deteriorating security situation linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The withdrawal was confirmed on Saturday by the Chief of the Hungarian Defence Staff.
According to the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, all Hungarian military personnel and diplomats stationed in Erbil have safely reached Turkey. From there, they will be transported back to Hungary on a military aircraft.
Rising tensions in the region
Lieutenant General Gábor Böröndi, Chief of the Defence Staff, said the decision was made after a thorough and ongoing assessment of the regional security environment. Since the start of military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran, several bases in Iraq hosting international forces have reportedly been targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks.
As a result of the growing security risks, several countries participating in international missions have decided to partially or fully withdraw their personnel from affected bases.
In case you missed it: Hungarian troops take shelter as attack hits base in Iraq.
Coordinated evacuation with coalition partners
The temporary withdrawal of Hungarian forces from the Erbil airbase was carried out in close cooperation with the Italian contingent operating the camp there. Böröndi emphasised that the operation was executed quickly and successfully thanks to the disciplined and well-coordinated cooperation of several military units.
Staff members of Hungary’s Consulate General in Erbil also left Iraq together with the troops, under their protection. Officials stressed that the move is temporary and was made purely for security reasons as tensions in the region continue to evolve.
Featured image is from a 2025 campaign of the Hungarian Ministry of Defence. Source: Honvédelmi Minisztérium/Facebook
HELLO @DNH?
@DNH … Stop this spam???
Why is it no longer safe for our troops in Iraq? Come on. Just say it. Not “the situation”. It is our Politicians BFFs engaging in “Warmonger!” activity.
Where is the “Peace!”, “No War!” and “WW3!”? Just convenient domestic slogans, right?
Latest news from Orban’s peacemaker (why do we hear so little about this during Orban’s election campaign?):
In the Iran war, US President Donald Trump is using confrontational language to urge NATO allies to support securing oil shipments in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. NATO faces a bleak future if its partners do not assist, Trump said in a brief interview with the Financial Times. “If there is no response, or if the response is negative, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” Trump was quoted as saying. The US president also made it clear that he expects US support in securing oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz in return for its assistance in the Ukraine war. “We are always there for NATO. We are helping them with Ukraine,” Trump told reporters on his return flight from Florida to Washington.
But Orban, of course, will not be drawn into a war against Russia.
Little brother, come dance with me, I’ll give you both my hands, once here, once there, all around, it’s not hard (German children’s song translated).
US President Donald Trump has threatened to postpone a summit with Chinese leader Si Jinping if Beijing does not assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz. He said this in an interview with the Financial Times.
The summit had been scheduled for the end of the month, but now Trump has linked it to China’s actions to secure the strait. “I think China should help as well, because 90 percent of China’s oil comes through that strait,” the US president emphasized.
“We would like to know about it in advance. Two weeks before the summit is a long time… We can postpone the meeting,” he added, without specifying a specific timeframe for the postponement.
And Oban is caught in the middle again!