US Shuts Mideast Embassies
The U.S. is evacuating diplomats and has closed select embassies across the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its fourth day. The move marks a rare, region-wide drawdown of American diplomatic presence, with President Trump signaling the conflict may be protracted.
The current drawdown of U.S. diplomatic staff is not isolated to a few posts; it encompasses a broad regional evacuation. The State Department has ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave at least five countries: Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan. This follows the complete closure of U.S. embassies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait City after they were targeted by Iranian drone strikes. The State Department has issued its most severe travel warnings, urging American civilians to depart from 14 countries and territories in the Middle East due to "serious safety risks." This unprecedented advisory includes nations from Egypt and Israel to Oman and the UAE, reflecting the widespread threat of the escalating conflict with Iran. This conflict escalated sharply on February 28, 2026, when a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation targeted Iran's leadership and nuclear facilities, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran's retaliation has been swift, targeting U.S. military bases and diplomatic missions across the region. These attacks have already led to the deaths of six U.S. service members in Kuwait. The U.S. has significantly bolstered its military presence in the region, with approximately 40,000 to 50,000 troops now deployed. This force includes two aircraft carrier strike groups, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with over 100 advanced fighter jets, including F-35s and F-22s, creating the largest concentration of U.S. military assets in the Middle East in decades. This recent escalation follows a tense period of diplomacy and a brief, intense conflict in June 2025, known as the "12-day war." That conflict also saw U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and retaliatory attacks from Tehran. Subsequent negotiations, led by U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were ongoing in Geneva just days before the current hostilities erupted. The international response has been one of growing alarm. The Gulf Cooperation Council, representing six Gulf nations, has condemned Iran's "reckless and indiscriminate attacks" and stated it is considering "all necessary measures" in response. Meanwhile, other nations, including Canada, have also been forced to close their embassies in the region. Japan's Foreign Minister has publicly called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical channel for global oil supplies that Iran has threatened to close.
