Americans urged to leave 14 Middle East countries amid Iran war
#Iran war#Middle East evacuation#State Department warning#US citizens abroad#regional tensions#embassy closures#conflict escalation#travel safety
📌 Key Takeaways
US State Department urges immediate departure from 14 Middle Eastern countries
Over 1 million Americans believed to be in the affected region
Six US troops killed, 18 wounded in the Iran conflict
US Embassy in Saudi Arabia attacked by drones
Limited evacuation options available for stranded Americans
📖 Full Retelling
The U.S. State Department is urging Americans to depart immediately from 14 Middle Eastern countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen due to serious safety risks as the Iran war widens with Iranian proxies being drawn in and Iran continuing its retaliatory fire. This urgent warning comes as the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran intensifies, with President Trump describing the military action as the 'last best chance' to address Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear program. The advisory specifically instructs Americans to 'depart now using available commercial transportation' as more than a million Americans are believed to be in the region, according to sources. The State Department has also ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families to leave Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, while several U.S. embassies in the region have been closed following attacks and ongoing regional tensions. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked by two drones causing a small fire, while the embassy in Kuwait has been closed after smoke was seen rising from the mission following Iranian attacks. The military conflict has already resulted in six U.S. troops killed and 18 seriously wounded, while Iran reports at least 787 deaths. As travelers attempt to navigate airport and airspace closures, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee noted that there are 'VERY LIMITED options' for evacuation and that the embassy cannot directly assist Americans in leaving the country.
🏷️ Themes
Middle East Conflict, Evacuation Orders, US-Iran Tensions
The Middle East is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, the Levant, and Turkey.
The term came into widespread usage by Western European nations in the early 20th century as a replacement of the term Near East (both were in contrast to the Far East). The term ...
U.S. Americans urged to leave 14 Middle East countries amid Iran war "due to serious safety risks" By Sarah Lynch Baldwin Sarah Lynch Baldwin Deputy Managing Editor Sarah Lynch Baldwin is a deputy managing editor of CBSNews.com. She helps lead national and breaking news coverage and shapes editorial workflows. Read Full Bio Sarah Lynch Baldwin Updated on: March 3, 2026 / 7:55 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The U.S. State Department is urging Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East as the Iran war widened Tuesday with Iranian proxies being drawn in and Iran continuing its retaliatory fire. Americans were urged late Monday to "depart now" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. They were urged to leave "using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks." More than a million Americans are believed to be in the region, a source said. The State Department also told all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and the families of government personnel to leave Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Some U.S. embassies in the region are closed. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked by two drones, causing a small fire and limited damage, the Saudi Ministry of Defense said Monday on X . The embassy urged U.S. citizens in Riyadh and the key commercial cities of Dhahran and Jeddah to shelter in place. It said it would be closed Tuesday. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also said Tuesday it was closed until further notice "due to ongoing regional tensions" and that consular appointments were canceled. It was closed a day after smoke was seen rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country. The U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran on Saturday in what President Trump described on Monday as the "last best chance" to address the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles and nuc...