The State Department on Monday urged Americans across the Middle East to depart as soon as possible using all available transportation, though many airports around the region remain closed as airstrikes persist.
The weekend strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran have caused massive disruptions to U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East as Iran retaliates. The U.S. embassy in Bahrain is closed. In Kuwait, Americans have been told to stay indoors. In Jordan, diplomatic staff was temporarily evacuated Monday over a threat.
Americans had been told to shelter in place until further notice as Iran retaliates across the region in response to the U.S.-Israel attack.
The State Department issued a “worldwide caution” alert for all Americans overseas on Saturday, the first since June 22, 2025, after the U.S. intervened in the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. The State Department doesn’t reveal its diplomatic footprint so it’s unclear how many Americans are stationed in the Middle East.
But on Monday, State Department officials urged Americans to depart from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump suggested the war could last a month or longer. U.S. and Israel have struck multiple targets, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attacks.
Six U.S. service members have been killed in action, and 18 were seriously wounded, official said. The Iranian Red Crescent said more than 200 people have been killed and roughly 700 others have been injured in Iran.
The State Department created a task force to help U.S. citizens, but as a growing number of U.S. embassies and consulates suspend routine and emergency services, Americans still in the region have been left with limited options.
Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha — including Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world — are important hubs for travel between Europe, Africa and the West to Asia. All three were directly hit by strikes, according to The Associated Press.
Oliver Sims, a 24-year-old content creator from Dallas, got stuck in Doha on his way back from a friend’s wedding in India. He contacted the U.S. embassy there but said they couldn’t offer him any immediate assistance.
“They had so many emergency calls coming in so they had to hang up on me,” he told NBC News.
Sims got in touch with his senator, John Cornyn, whose office reassured him they were aware of his location. “They said they’ll let me know of any plans to extract U.S. citizens,” he told NBC News.
Sims said he feels relatively safe and has been able to work remotely from his hotel room in Doha, but his parents are worried.
“My parents are constantly calling” he said, asking if he’s ok and if there’s any other way he can get out of the country. For now, Sims is staying calm, but he’s hoping to get back to Dallas in time to celebrate his 25th birthday on Saturday.
In a video posted on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined how Americans can get in touch with State Department officials.
“Our number one priority is the safety and the security of American citizens everywhere in the world,” Rubio said.
In Bahrain, after a strike on the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the capital city of Manama, Americans were warned to avoid all hotels as they may be a target for attacks. The U.S. Embassy remained closed and all regular and emergency consular appointments were cancelled.
About the Author
