U.S. Demands Non-Emergency Personnel Depart Six Arab Nations

(MENAFN) The U.S. Department of State has directed all non-emergency personnel stationed at American missions across Kuwait, Iraq, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan to depart immediately, invoking a "threat of armed conflict" and broad "security concerns" as the military confrontation with Iran continues to spiral.

Alongside the evacuation order, the department urged American civilians remaining in those countries to closely track local media and official U.S. government alerts for real-time developments.

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait became the first mission to announce a full operational shutdown, declaring Tuesday that it "will be closed until further notice" amid the deteriorating regional security environment. In a post on X, the embassy confirmed: "We have canceled all regular and emergency consular appointments. We will communicate when the embassy returns to normal operations."

In Iraq, the U.S. mission in Baghdad separately confirmed that the State Department had instructed non-emergency government employees "to leave Iraq due to security concerns," further warning that personnel in Baghdad are barred from transiting through Baghdad International Airport. "Because of security concerns, US government personnel in Baghdad are prohibited from using Baghdad International Airport," the mission stated.

The situation facing American nationals in Israel drew particular concern. The U.S. Embassy in Israel acknowledged it is "not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel," pointing to "the current security situation throughout the region." The embassy directed citizens toward an alternative exit route, noting on X that "The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttles to the Taba Border Crossing as of March 2. To be added to the passenger list for a shuttle, you must register via the Ministry's evacuation form."

The embassy stopped short of endorsing the route, however, stating plainly that it "cannot" provide a recommendation either for or against using the shuttle, stressing that the U.S. "cannot" ensure safety of those choosing to use it for departure. For those seeking to cross into Jordan, the embassy outlined a secondary option: "Passengers who wish to cross to Jordan may take the shuttle to Eilat and continue independently (by taxi) to the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing."

The cascading diplomatic withdrawals follow the U.S.-Israeli military campaign launched Saturday against Iran, which resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has since struck back with waves of drone and missile attacks directed at Israel and multiple regional nations hosting U.S. military assets — a retaliatory posture that shows no sign of abating.

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