U.S. tells Americans to DEPART NOW from 15 Middle East countries including UAE and Lebanon.
‘Depart Now’: US Orders Immediate Evacuation of All Americans from Middle East After Embassy Attacks
WASHINGTON / TEHRAN, March 3, 2026 – The United States has ordered all American citizens to leave a sweeping list of Middle Eastern countries “immediately,” issuing the stark warning after Iranian drones directly attacked US embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, dramatically escalating the widening regional war.
The State Department’s emergency directive, posted on X by Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, represents one of the most extensive evacuation orders in recent decades. It comes as explosions continued to rock Tehran on Tuesday and the conflict, now in its fourth day, expands onto multiple fronts.
The full list of countries from which Americans have been ordered to leave encompasses nearly the entire region:
Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine (Gaza and the occupied West Bank), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, The United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The urgent call to evacuate follows direct attacks on two key US diplomatic facilities. On Monday, smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the US Embassy in Kuwait City, prompting an immediate shelter-in-place order from embassy officials, who warned American citizens to avoid the area. Hours later, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia also came under Iranian drone attack, marking a significant escalation in Tehran’s retaliatory campaign, “Operation True Promise 4.”
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the embassy strikes, Iranian officials have previously vowed to target US interests in retaliation for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening wave of US-Israeli strikes on February 28, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”
The direct assault on sovereign diplomatic facilities has raised fears of an uncontrollable spiral. The State Department has advised Americans who require assistance to arrange their departure through commercial means to contact consular officials immediately. Specific phone numbers for emergency assistance have been disseminated to US citizens registered in the region.
The evacuation order covers areas already embroiled in intense conflict. Israel is bombarding Lebanon in response to Iranian-backed militant activity, while Tehran has expanded its targeting to include oil facilities in Gulf countries, sending global energy prices soaring. Iran itself remains under sustained US-Israeli air and missile attack, with AFP journalists in Tehran witnessing new powerful explosions that shook windows as fighter jets flew overhead early Tuesday.
President Donald Trump warned on Monday that the US military campaign against Iran could extend longer than a month, vowing continued retaliation for American casualties, which now stand at four.
The human cost of the multi-front war continues to mount. Iran’s Red Crescent now reports at least 555 killed in strikes on 131 cities. Lebanon’s death toll has risen following Israeli bombardment, with 52 confirmed dead. Israel has confirmed 10 fatalities from Iranian missile barrages. Gulf states including Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar have all reported fatalities, with dozens injured across the region.
The State Department’s warning explicitly includes the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, where tensions have soared amid the broader regional conflagration. Syria and Yemen, already suffering from prolonged conflicts, are also listed, reflecting fears that Iranian-backed groups in those countries may launch further attacks.
With commercial airlines already canceling flights and airports in the region facing potential closure, the window for Americans to evacuate through commercial means may be rapidly closing. The directive underscores the gravity of the situation as the Middle East braces for what could become a prolonged and devastating war, with no diplomatic off-ramp in sight and both sides signaling a protracted confrontation following Khamenei’s death.