US State Department urges Americans to depart much of Middle East
The security update listed Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE as locations affected.
The US State Department has urged American citizens to depart from several countries and regions across the Middle East, citing "serious safety risks."
In a security update released on Monday, the department listed Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen as the locations affected.
In a post on X, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar urged Americans to "DEPART NOW" from the places listed using available commercial transportation.
Since Saturday morning, Israel and the US have carried out strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and many top security officials.
Iran, in response, launched drone and missile attacks on Israel and US assets in the region, prompting many Gulf states to shut their airspace.
Earlier, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that six US service members have been killed so far on day three of the US-Israeli joint attacks.