US orders some diplomatic staff to leave Middle East as Iran conflict escalates
The US has ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to evacuate from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan, and has closed several diplomatic missions across the Middle East due to escalating tensions with Iran.
The United States has ordered one of the largest diplomatic evacuations in recent Middle East history, mandating non-emergency government personnel and their families to depart from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan as tensions with Iran escalate dramatically. This action, announced on March 3, 2026, represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks on US bases and threats against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The State Department has activated an inter-agency emergency task force to coordinate the response to the widening conflict.
Several US diplomatic missions have implemented severe restrictions: the US Embassy in Kuwait remains closed until further notice with all consular appointments cancelled; the US Mission in Saudi Arabia was closed following a drone attack; the US Embassy in Jordan evacuated all personnel from the compound due to unspecified security threats; and embassies in Beirut, Lebanon and Israel are currently at "departure status" with authorized personnel evacuations approved. The US Embassy in Israel stated it cannot evacuate or directly assist Americans seeking to leave, while routine visa services have been suspended across multiple locations.
The evacuation orders coincide with the largest US military buildup in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, with approximately 100 aerial refuel tankers, carrier strike groups, and fighter fleets positioned within striking distance of Iran. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is stationed in the Arabian Sea about 700 kilometers from Iran. Several US-allied nations have withdrawn or repositioned troops from Erbil Air Base in Iraqi Kurdistan, fearing potential Iranian retaliatory strikes.
The State Department has updated travel advisories recommending against travel to 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. US citizens in the region are urged to depart immediately using available commercial transportation. Iran has threatened to fire on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to spike as the conflict enters its fourth day with no immediate resolution in sight.
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