US advised those needing assistance to contact the State Department’s 24-hour hotline and enrol in its STEP programme.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The United States has advised its citizens to leave a dozen countries in the Middle East with immediate effect, due to serious safety concerns.
This directive is contained in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar.
It read: “The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks.”
The countries listed included Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
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The advice followed recent US–Israeli air strikes on Iran, which killed several of the Islamic Republic’s leaders and caused regional instability.
In response to the assault, Tehran has launched targeted attacks on U.S. bases and assets in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, causing some of these countries to close their airspace and limit flight departures.
Reacting to the development, the US counselled its citizens residing in the countries listed to flee the area, as they may be targeted by Iran.
It, however, added that those needing assistance with commercial departures should contact the State Department’s 24-hour hotline and enrol in its STEP programme for security updates.
