US embassies urge citizens to consider departing Middle East

Embassies across the Middle East issued a warning to American citizens on Saturday, urging them to consider leaving the region due to an "unforeseen escalation" in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. The advisory was issued by embassies in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The warning came the day after US President Donald Trump threatened to "hit Iran very hard."

The tense situation has been ongoing since February 28, when Iran and the United States entered a state of war. A period of relative calm followed a ceasefire, but that lull ended with renewed strikes. The conflict has disrupted lives across the Middle East and caused global energy markets to tremble.

The security alert advised Americans in the region to be prepared to depart if an escalation occurs. They were urged to check flight details and follow safety advice from local authorities. Airlines in Jordan were warned not to visit US military bases, as they had recently been attacked by Iranian missiles. In Israel, citizens were advised to locate their nearest bomb shelter.

The US embassy in Beirut reported that its mission was on "ordered departure status," meaning non-emergency US government staff were being relocated outside Lebanon. Iran's military spokesman accused Washington of escalating tensions in the region, stating that any country serving as a defensive shield for America would be engulfed by war. Iran's supreme leader's adviser warned against attacking Iranian infrastructure, emphasizing that doing so would reignite the historical fault lines of US hegemony.

Recent events have seen Iran and the US exchange fire once again after a period of calm. A drone attack on a US-owned gas vessel in Egypt caused a fire, though no group has been officially accused. Additionally, an "unknown projectile" struck a tanker off the coast of Oman, highlighting the volatile situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Maritime trade tracking firm Kpler reported a sharp drop in traffic through the Strait, as vessels navigate the uncertain waters under the watchful eye of Iran and the United States.