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US shuts embassies in Middle East as Israel-Iran conflict rages on Day 4: Check full list
The State Department on Tuesday directed non-emergency government staff and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait
The United States has ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel and suspended operations at several diplomatic missions across the Middle East, as tensions linked to the widening conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran intensify across the region.
The State Department on Tuesday directed non-emergency government staff and their families to leave Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait, citing heightened security risks. A number of embassies have either closed temporarily or reduced services to emergency-only operations.
Status of key US missions:
US Embassy Beirut, Lebanon
The embassy will be closed on March 3. In a notice to citizens, it said: “The US Embassy Beirut will be closed on March 3.”
US Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan
The embassy announced the cancellation of all visa appointments through Friday, March 6. It said: “Due to the current security situation, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6.”
US Embassy in Israel
The mission said it is “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel”.
It noted that Israel’s Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttles to the Taba border crossing from March 2, but added: “The US Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourism’s shuttle.” The embassy warned that if citizens choose to depart using this option, “the US government cannot guarantee your safety.”
US Mission to Saudi Arabia
The mission said it would be closed on Tuesday, March 3, cancelling “all routine and emergency American Citizen Services appointments”.
It added that a shelter-in-place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran remains in effect, advising American citizens in the Kingdom to continue to shelter in place. The mission also urged citizens to “maintain a personal safety plan” and to avoid the embassy “until further notice due to an attack on the facility”.
US Embassy Kuwait
The embassy said it was closed until further notice. The announcement came a day after smoke was seen rising from the mission following reported Iranian attacks.
US Embassy Bahrain
The embassy said it would be closed on March 3, “due to ongoing regional tensions”, cancelling all regular and emergency consular appointments. It said it would communicate when normal operations resume.
US Embassy Amman, Jordan
The embassy said that “out of an abundance of caution, all personnel … have temporarily departed the Embassy compound due to a threat”.
West Asia conflict leaves many dead
The death toll across West Asia has increased. The death toll in Iran from the joint US-Israeli strikes is now nearing 800. As per the latest update from the Iranian Red Crescent, the total death toll from the strikes now stands at 787.
Of this, around 180 deaths have been reported in Minab when a girls' school was targeted by the US-Israeli military strike.
Meanwhile, four American service members were killed and four others seriously injured during the US attacks on Iran, the US military announced on Monday.
In Lebanon, 52 people have been killed due to Israeli strikes in the southern part of the country. The health ministry has added that around 154 people were injured due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
In the UAE, three people, one Pakistani, one Nepalese and one Bangladeshi were killed in the attacks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 58 others have also been injured due to the Iranian strikes.
In Israel, around 10 people have been killed due to Iranian strikes across the region. In Iraq, two people have been killed.
One person has also been killed in Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, each. Meanwhile, at least 16 people have been injured in Qatar due to Iranian strikes.
