The US is urging Americans to leave the Middle East immediately. What to know if you’re on the ground.

• Americans are being advised to leave Middle Eastern countries.
• The US and Israel struck Iran on Saturday.
• Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have closed their airspaces.

Americans in many Middle Eastern countries are now being advised to depart immediately for safety reasons after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday.

“Depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks,” is the messaging for Americans as of 4 p.m. EST on March 2 from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department, shared on X.

The post on X urges Americans to contact and follow the State Department at the following numbers and sites:

• From abroad: 1-202-501-4444
• From the US and Canada: +1-888-407-4747
• Enroll in http://step.state.gov for security updates

The list of countries Americans are being urged to depart from immediately is as follows: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

In notices early Tuesday, the State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and their family members living in Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Iran, Jordan, UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and Kuwait

The notice urging Americans to depart comes as airspaces in a large swath of the mentioned countries remain closed for commercial flights. US embassies in some Middle Eastern countries haven’t lifted their shelter-in-place advisories.

The “depart now” messaging comes after the US initially issued shelter-in-place advisories for countries including Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. In earlier messaging on February 28, the US Embassy in Baghdad told Americans their departure plans “should not rely on the US government for departure assistance or evacuation.”

A note to shelter in place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had been lifted, while it remained in Dhahran. US citizens, including military personnel, must exercise caution and limit non-essential travel to military installations in the region, US Mission Saudi Arabia said.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday evening that the US Embassy in Riyadh appears to have been attacked by two drones, causing what they called a “limited fire.”

US Mission Iraq said US citizens should not go to the embassy in Baghdad or the Consulate General in Erbil and to “exercise increased caution, keep a low profile, and shelter in place until further notice” following reports of missiles, drones, and rockets in Iraqi airspace.

US citizens were told to avoid areas around the July 14th Bridge in Baghdad, due to ongoing demonstrations against the US, which it said more were being called for throughout the country.

The US Embassy in Jerusalem said on Sunday that it had directed all US government employees and their families to shelter in place, and that Israel had closed airspace to all civilian flights.

The US Department of State Consular Affairs also warned of imminent drone and missile attacks in Bahrain. On Sunday, the US Embassy in Bahrain told Americans to avoid hotels in Manama.

“The US Embassy in Bahrain is tracking confirmed reports the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama was struck on March 1, 2026, resulting in injuries,” the embassy said in an X post. “We advise US citizens in Bahrain that hotels might be a target for future attacks, and encourage US citizens to avoid hotels in Manama.”

On Monday, the US Department of State Consular Affairs warned of a “continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait,” and advised US citizens to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and stay alert in case of future attacks.

It also advised against going to the US embassy and said to stay alert for loud explosions and sirens.

“Take cover in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside,” it said.

On Monday, the US government told US citizens not to travel to Lebanon and to leave “NOW” while commercial flights are available amid a “volatile and unpredictable” security situation following airstrikes. It told people to be prepared to shelter in place if the situation deteriorates.

The US Department of State Consular Affairs said on Sunday that it was monitoring ongoing demonstrations at the US Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore. US citizens in Pakistan should follow strong personal safety precautions, including staying aware of their surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and ensuring that their “Smart Traveler Enrolment Program” registration is updated, it said.

From Monday, the US Consulate General in Peshawar temporarily suspended operations, while the embassy in Islamabad continued to provide all routine or emergency consular services for US citizens.

Airports and airspace updates across the Middle East

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have closed their airspaces.

All flights at Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International were suspended until further notice on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, Dubai International has resumed limited flight services but continues to instruct travelers not to come to the airport unless their flight has been confirmed.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia, Hamad International Airport in Doha, and Abu Dhabi Airports gave similar advice to passengers: not to travel to those airports at this time and to contact their respective airlines for flight updates.

Dubai International Airport said it sustained minor damage in an incident on Saturday and said it “was quickly contained.” At nearby Zayed International Airport (AUH), about 77 miles away, authorities responded to an incident of an intercepted drone.