The U.S. State Department issued a directive on Monday urging all American citizens to depart the Middle East, citing escalating tensions stemming from the conflict with Iran. The advisory, reported by Swedish broadcaster SVT and news outlets including Direkt and Nyheter24, encompasses a total of 14 countries, a significant expansion of previous travel warnings.
The directive follows Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting multiple nations in the region, impacting both military and civilian infrastructure, according to the State Department. While Egypt had previously remained relatively unaffected by direct conflict, it is now included on the list of countries prompting U.S. Citizens to depart. The other nations specified are Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as the Palestinian territories.
The State Department is advising Americans to utilize commercial transportation to exit the region, though several airports are currently experiencing closures or reduced service. This logistical challenge adds urgency to the evacuation call. According to SVT, the U.S. State Department’s Deputy Secretary Mora Namdar announced the advisory via X (formerly Twitter).
The escalation prompting this widespread travel advisory comes after the reported deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in attacks carried out by the U.S. And Israel, as reported by SVT. Iran has responded with counterattacks against Israel and U.S. Military installations, alongside aerial assaults on neighboring countries.
The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has acknowledged the seriousness of the U.S. Move. “It is a serious signal when the Americans issue such a recommendation,” stated Svante Liljegren of the Swedish UD, according to Hallandsposten. The Swedish government has not yet issued its own travel advisory mirroring the U.S. Directive.
The U.S. State Department has not specified a timeframe for when conditions might improve, and commercial flight availability remains uncertain. The situation continues to evolve rapidly, with Israel reportedly taking control of positions in southern Lebanon and conducting further attacks on Tehran and Hezbollah targets in Beirut, according to SVT.
