US Shuts Embassies in Middle East
The U.S. has started evacuating diplomats and shutting down several embassies across the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its fourth day. President Trump is warning the conflict could become an “extended war,” signaling a potential expansion in scope and duration.
The order for non-emergency personnel and their families to depart affects U.S. missions in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. The State Department has issued a broader travel advisory, urging American citizens to leave a total of 14 countries and territories in the region, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, due to "serious safety risks." Multiple diplomatic facilities have already been directly impacted by the escalating conflict. The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia was closed on March 3rd following a drone attack that caused a limited fire and minor damage to the embassy building in Riyadh. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also shut down after an Iranian attack on the compound Monday. In response to unspecified threats, the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, was fully evacuated. The embassy in Kuwait is closed until further notice, with all consular appointments cancelled. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Israel has stated it is not in a position to provide evacuation assistance to American citizens and has advised them to arrange their own security plans. This current conflict follows a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, which saw U.S. military intervention. Tensions dramatically escalated after joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2026, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior military commanders. President Trump has made several statements about the conflict's potential length, suggesting it could last four to five weeks, but also claiming the U.S. has the capability to continue "far longer." In a series of interviews, he has offered conflicting views, stating the U.S. will fight until objectives are met while also remaining open to talks with Iran's new leadership. The conflict has also drawn in other regional actors. Israel has reportedly sent ground forces into southern Lebanon and bombed suburbs of Beirut amid renewed fighting with Hezbollah. Iran has retaliated for the U.S. strikes by launching attacks on Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates.
