Several US military bases in Europe have been placed on high alert due to the threat of terrorist attacks on US military personnel or facilities, reports CNN.
According to two US officials, whose names CNN did not disclose, US military bases were put on high alert over the weekend. Their level of protection was raised to the second highest.
Among the bases that have raised their readiness level to Charlie status is the US Army garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, where the headquarters of the US European Command is located.
As CNN explains, Charlie status is introduced when an incident occurs or intelligence information is received that indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack or attack on US personnel or facilities.
One US official stationed at a base in Europe told CNN that they hadn't seen this level of threat in "at least 10 years," adding that it usually means the military is aware of an "active-reliable threat."
US European Command spokesperson Dan Day declined to comment on specific levels of protection for US forces, but said the command is "constantly assessing a variety of factors that play into the safety of US military community abroad."
"As part of that effort, we oftentimes take additional steps to ensure the safety of our service members. For operational security reasons, we will not get into specific measures, but we remain vigilant," he noted.
Germany is currently hosting the Euro 2024 football tournament, and the Summer Olympics will begin in early July in France.
On the eve of these events, Berlin and Paris expressed concern about the threat of terrorist attacks. French intelligence services even recommended canceling the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
In March, Germany and France agreed to jointly ensure security at Euro 2024 and the Olympics.