‘Depart now': US asks Americans to leave 12 Middle East countries
Washington: The United States has urged its citizens to “depart now” from more than a dozen countries across the Middle East, warning of serious safety risks as fighting between Israel and Iran intensifies.
In a statement posted online, Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar said the United States Department of State was advising Americans to leave using available commercial transport.
Those requiring assistance were told to call emergency consular lines or enrol in the Smart Traveller programme to receive updates from the nearest US embassy or consulate.
The warning covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The travel alert comes as US President Donald Trump said military operations against Iran could last “four to five weeks” and potentially longer.
