US Urges Mass Mideast Evacuation
The State Department issued urgent warnings for Americans to immediately leave 14 Middle Eastern countries as hundreds of thousands remain stranded despite limited flight resumptions. Major airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa, and Delta canceled routes with Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi hubs closed or restricted. Gulf airlines have restarted some UAE flights as governments coordinate evacuation efforts.
The advisory follows a significant escalation of hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, with joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on military and nuclear sites in Iran. These strikes resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior officials. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks on U.S. military bases and civilian infrastructure in several Gulf countries. The "DEPART NOW" directive applies to 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. The State Department has also ordered the departure of non-emergency government personnel and their families from the UAE and other regional posts. U.S. embassies in Riyadh and Jerusalem have closed or suspended consular services. A significant U.S. military buildup has been underway in the region since January 2026, the largest since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This includes two aircraft carrier strike groups, the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford, along with numerous destroyers, warplanes such as F-22 and F-35 jets, and tens of thousands of personnel on regional bases. The conflict has caused severe travel disruptions, with over 11,000 flights canceled since the start of the offensive. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, through which about 20% of the world's daily oil supply passes. This has led to a spike in oil prices, with Brent crude rising by as much as 13%. Iran's retaliatory strikes have deliberately targeted energy infrastructure, including Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura facility, one of the world's largest oil production sites, in an effort to impact global energy markets. This escalation threatens to turn the regional military conflict into a global economic shock, affecting energy security and inflation. The U.S. government has stated it is not currently in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel and has advised citizens to make their own security plans. The State Department is urging all U.S. citizens in the affected countries to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for the latest security updates.
