US Urges Exit from 14 Countries
The US State Department has issued urgent guidance for Americans to immediately depart from 14 Middle Eastern countries as widespread strikes disrupt travel. Limited flights have resumed but hundreds of thousands remain stranded due to airspace closures and route disruptions. The UK Foreign Office updated travel guidance for 15 countries including Dubai, Egypt, Cyprus, and Turkey.
The advisory follows a significant escalation in regional conflict, including joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran that began on Saturday. In response, Iran and its allies have launched retaliatory attacks against Israel and neighboring Gulf states. This has resulted in hundreds of casualties, with the Iranian Red Crescent Society reporting at least 555 killed in Iran. The State Department has not organized official evacuation flights, urging citizens to use available commercial transport. However, the travel situation remains chaotic, with over 11,000 flights canceled since Saturday, affecting more than 1 million passengers. Airspaces over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait remain closed. The list of countries in the "depart now" advisory includes Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. On March 2, the State Department also ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from the UAE due to the threat of armed conflict. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has issued its own warnings, advising against all but essential travel to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan. It has also urged British nationals in six regional countries, including Israel and the UAE, to register their presence with the government for direct security updates. Major European airlines, including Lufthansa Group and Air France, have suspended numerous flights to key regional hubs like Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Dubai until at least March 8. Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, sustained minor damage from an attack and its flight operations remain suspended. The current crisis is described by aviation analytics firm Cirium as the most acute shock to aviation since the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption is expected to continue for days, with officials suggesting the conflict could last for weeks. In a related security measure, the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai have canceled all visa and citizen services appointments through at least March 4, instructing people not to come to the diplomatic missions for any reason. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a notice recommending caution for all U.S. air carriers operating in the Middle East, highlighting the ongoing risks. The Iranian government has publicly stated its intention to target locations in the UAE associated with the United States.
