Americans across the Middle East have been thrown into travel chaos after the US urged them to depart 14 nations in the region immediately.
The unusually urgent move by the US State Department came after retaliatory attacks from Iran hit multiple neighboring US allies and US military installations across the region.
Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries should “DEPART NOW” via any commercial means available due to “serious safety risks,” the US State Department shared in an X post on March 2.
On March 1, the US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran, striking military targets in the country and killing the nation’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the days since, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes in Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, among other nations.
The escalating conflict, which President Donald Trump said on Sunday could last “four or five weeks,” has resulted in widespread airspace closures and travel chaos in the region.
For Americans in the region, securing their exit following the State Department’s advice hasn’t been easy.
Some US embassies across the region said Tuesday that they’re “not in a position” to help Americans evacuate.
Multiple countries, including the UK, Italy, and France, have chartered private flights to evacuate their citizens from the region, and US officials said they were exploring similar options.
On Tuesday, Trump said that “more than 9,000 Americans have safely returned home from the Middle East” in a post on Truth Social.
“The Department will identify where you are, and provide travel options to you,” he added, encouraging citizens in the region to contact the State Department.
“We are already chartering flights, free of charge, and booking commercial options, which we expect will become increasingly available as time goes on,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, many other Americans who have built their lives in these nations are experiencing the military conflict firsthand.
See the full list of countries the US has urged its citizens to leave and how they’ve been affected by the escalating US-Iran conflict.
Bahrain
The country, which serves as the headquarters for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has faced retaliatory attacks from Iran.
On Sunday, a drone and missile attack struck several structures on the headquarters site, including satellite communications terminals, as reported by The New York Times.
An Iranian drone also attacked the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama, prompting the US Embassy in the country to alert US citizens to avoid hotels in the city as they might be targets for future attacks. Iranian strikes also hit nearby civilian buildings and infrastructure in Manama, raising broader security concerns.
The country’s airspace remains closed until further notice, and the US Embassy in the country suspended operations.
Egypt
While it has not been directly targeted in strikes, Egypt has faced significant travel disruptions since the start of the conflict and was included by the US State Department in the list of countries Americans should evacuate immediately due to safety concerns.
As of March 4, Egyptian airspace remained open, with commercial airports operating despite flight cancellations and delays, per the US Embassy in the country, which announced it was “open and operating normally.”
Iran
The center of the ongoing conflict, Iran, is at the forefront of US and Israeli strikes.
Over the weekend, the US-Israel joint military campaign launched strikes in high-profile government buildings, military compounds, and strategic infrastructure, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leaving the country in an unresolved succession crisis.
Since then, US and Israeli forces are understood to have severely degraded the Iranian air defenses and navy assets.
Despite a significant loss in capabilities, Iran has continued to launch strikes at US assets and allies in neighboring countries.
Amid the crisis, the country’s airspace remains effectively shut down for commercial traffic.
Iraq
Sitting in the path of missiles from Iran and Israel, Iraqi airspace has remained closed since the conflict began, and the country’s US military facilities have become primary targets for drone and missile barrages.
Iran and its proxy militias have launched near-continuous strikes on the country’s Erbil International Airport, which houses a US military installation.
On Tuesday, Iraqi defenses shot down a drone targeting the Baghdad International Airport, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza
Since launching what the Israeli government is calling Operation Roaring Lion, Israel has faced waves of retaliatory drone and missile attacks.
The country’s Iron Dome air defense systems have intercepted the vast majority of incoming attacks, but its airspace remains closed as strike attempts continue.
On Monday, the US Embassy in Jerusalem announced it was suspending its operations.
“The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel,” the agency said in the announcement.
Jordan
Jordan has also been a target of retaliatory strikes in the region.
While Jordan said its air defense system has shot down drones and missiles, falling debris from intercepted strike attempts has been reported across the country.
The country’s airspace has intermittently been closed during the conflict, per FlightRadar24.
Kuwait
US military facilities in Kuwait, including the Ali Al Salem Air Base, have been targeted by Iranian missiles and drone attacks that were intercepted by Kuwait air defenses.
On Sunday, an Iranian drone strike on a US military facility near a civilian port in Kuwait killed six American soldiers.
Lebanon
Lebanon has faced intense Israeli airstrikes since the conflict began, with attacks targeting Hezbollah positions in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
The renewed fighting has killed dozens of civilians and displaced thousands across southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs as residents flee intensified strikes and follow evacuation orders from the Israel Defense Forces, the Associated Press reported.
While the country’s airspace remains open, many international carriers have suspended flights to and from Beirut, and several governments have advised their airlines to avoid Lebanese airspace.
Oman
Oman, a nation that has attempted to mediate talks between Iran and the US, has also been affected by the fallout from the conflict, with a tanker in the Port of Duqm being struck by a drone attack and another oil tanker being attacked while in Omani waters, as reported by The New York Times.
The maritime attacks have raised concerns about shipping through the country’s adjacent Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
The country’s airspace remains open, and its international airport in Muscat has become a regional hub for repatriation flights amid the travel chaos, per FlightRadar24.
Qatar
Qatar, home to the largest US military installation in the region, has also been a target for Iranian attacks.
On Monday, the country announced that it had shot down two Iranian bombers, and the Al Udeid Air Base was struck by a ballistic missile on Tuesday.
The country’s Hamad International Airport has also been targeted by air attacks, which have been largely intercepted by air defense forces.
Airspace in the country remains closed until March 6, following a mandate by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has also been a target for Iranian retaliatory strikes, including a drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh.
The country has also faced other Iranian missile and drone attacks that have been intercepted by the country’s air defense systems.
Airspace in the country has remained largely open, and the country’s international airports have served as critical travel corridors amid flight reroutings.
Syria
The presence of Iranian-backed militias in the country has made Syria a target for Israeli and US strikes, which have targeted the Damascus International Airport as well as military positions in the country.
Airspace in the country remains completely closed until March 7.
United Arab Emirates
After decades of positioning itself as a luxurious safe haven in the region, the United Arab Emirates is facing its most significant security challenges in recent history.
Within the first 48 hours of the conflict, the UAE was among the primary targets of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, with missiles and drones aiming for the country’s airports, maritime ports, and oil structures, as reported by Reuters.
While the country’s air defense systems have intercepted a vast majority of the attacks, debris and strikes have caused fires in critical locations, including the Dubai International Airport, the Fairmont The Palm hotel, and the US Consulate in Dubai, the latter of which was struck by a drone attack.
As of March 4, most commercial flights in the country have been suspended, airspace is partially closed, and international airports are operating only a limited number of flights.
Yemen
The US/Israel-Iran conflict has heightened ongoing tensions in Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis have established local control.
Yemeni airspace remains closed to civilian air traffic, and maritime commercial shipping routes through the Red Sea have sharply declined.
