The U.S. State Department has urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East amid escalating military actions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. According to multiple reports, the warning was issued late Monday, advising Americans to 'depart now' from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.
Key Takeaways
The U.S. State Department has urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East amid escalating military actions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
- The State Department issued a warning for Americans to depart Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, and Yemen.
- Charter flights are being facilitated from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
- Four U.S. embassies have closed due to ongoing regional tensions.
- The conflict has resulted in significant disruptions to air travel and global energy markets.
More than a million Americans are believed to be in the region. The State Department initially urged citizens to leave using available commercial transportation due to serious safety risks. However, on Tuesday, it began facilitating charter flights from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for Americans wishing to depart.
The State Department is proactively contacting U.S. citizens to offer them seats on these charter flights. More than 120 people are fielding calls at its 24/7 call center. The department has also advised all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families to leave Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that almost 1,600 Americans had requested assistance with departing the region. The department has answered calls from nearly 3,000 U.S. citizens in the region and will waive any statutory requirement for American citizens to reimburse the government for travel expenses.
The conflict began on Saturday when the U.S. and Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran, targeting command-and-control centers, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites. This action was described by President Trump as the 'last best chance' to address the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear program.
In response, Iran launched retaliatory strikes across U.S. bases in the Middle East and targeted several Gulf states. The Iranian attacks have caused significant disruptions to air travel and global energy markets, with major aviation hubs shuttered and hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded.
The conflict has also led to the closure of four U.S. embassies: Beirut, Kuwait, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and Jerusalem. The embassy in Kuwait was closed a day after smoke was seen rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country. The embassy in Riyadh was attacked by two drones, causing a small fire and limited damage.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that over 1,000 civilians in Iran have been killed since Saturday. Americans stranded in the region have expressed frustration over the government's response, with some describing themselves as 'trapped' due to canceled flights and closed airspace.
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