The U.S. State Department has issued a sweeping Middle East evacuation alert, urging Americans to depart immediately from more than a dozen countries as fighting linked to Iran intensifies. Officials warned of “serious safety risks” and stressed that conditions remain volatile across the region.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar directed U.S. citizens to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The department said Americans needing assistance with commercial departures can call +1-202-501-4444 from abroad or +1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada.
The warnings follow the U.S. military’s launch of Operation Epic Fury, which targeted Iranian command-and-control centers, air defense systems, and missile and drone launch sites. In a Feb. 28 Worldwide Caution security alert, the State Department advised Americans worldwide, especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased vigilance and prepare for possible travel disruptions.
At least nine U.S. missions across the region have issued shelter-in-place directives in recent days. Embassy personnel and their families in several countries were ordered to remain at home. Americans were urged to stay inside secure structures, avoid windows, and prepare for possible incoming missiles or drones.
In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh closed Tuesday after two Iranian drones struck the building. Officials reported no injuries but expanded shelter-in-place orders in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran.
The State Department also urged Americans abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive real-time security updates from U.S. embassies and consulates.
