US Issues Urgent Travel Advisories Across Middle East: 4 Things to Know

Americans were told to 'depart now' from more than a dozen Middle Eastern and North African countries.

Published: 3/3/2026, 4:07:22 PM EST

US Issues Urgent Travel Advisories Across Middle East: 4 Things to Know — Smoke pours out after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebanon, on March 2, 2026. (Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)

The U.S. Department of State has issued travel warnings to American citizens around the world as the Iran conflict continues for a fourth day.

The U.S. and Israeli militaries conducted their most significant strikes against Iran starting on Feb. 28, killing Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of other regime officials. In turn, Iran has fired barrages of missiles and drones at several Middle Eastern countries.

Americans Told to Leave ‘Now’

Americans in Middle Eastern and North African countries were encouraged to “depart now” through “available commercial transportation” in the midst of the aerial campaign, said State Department Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar in a post on X.

Those countries and territories include the following: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

For Americans who are in need of State Department assistance to depart from those countries through commercially available means, they are advised to call the State Department and enroll on its website, Namdar said.

So far, the State Department has not sent any planes or organized the evacuation of U.S. citizens. Some flights were canceled or delayed due to strikes being launched against Iran. Iran has responded by firing missiles and explosive drones at several Middle Eastern countries.

The State Department did not provide a timetable, but President Donald Trump on Monday signaled that the aerial campaign against Iran would last four or five weeks.

“The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday.

Travel Advisories Increased

Travel advisories to multiple Middle Eastern countries were also increased, according to the State Department.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel were recently classified by the department as Level 3, meaning that American citizens should “reconsider travel” to those nations.

Iran, Yemen, and Syria have been under Level 4 warnings, meaning Americans should not travel to those countries due to terrorism, kidnappings, unrest, and other dangers. Iraq was listed as Level 4 by the State Department on March 2 for similar reasons. Lebanon is also under a Level 4 warning, according to a Feb. 26 bulletin.

Saudi Arabia is under a Level 2 advisory, according to the State Department, although U.S. officials warned on Tuesday of a “threat of imminent” or drone attacks over the Saudi city of Dhahran. Oman is also under a Level 2 advisory, which means U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution.

Attacks on Embassies Reported

Two drones hit the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing a “limited fire,” according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry. The embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound.

This followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. U.S. Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon said they were closed to the public.

The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family members in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Over the past weekend, reporters from The Associated Press saw dozens of people attempting to cross a bridge leading to Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses Iraqi government buildings and the sprawling U.S. Embassy. Video footage also showed clashes outside the embassy area.

Police fire tear gas at Shiite Muslims as they stage protests in solidarity with the Iranian regime, outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 1, 2026. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images) — Police fire tear gas at Shiite Muslims as they stage protests in solidarity with the Iranian regime, outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 1, 2026. Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images

Violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Pakistan resulted in casualties as demonstrators supporting the Iranian regime tried to storm a U.S. consulate on Sunday, officials said.

Worldwide Caution Alert

In the midst of the U.S. combat operation in Iran, a “worldwide caution” alert was sent out for Americans overseas, said the State Department.

“Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate,” the notice said. “They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.”

A similar alert was issued by the agency in June 2025 as the United States and Israel launched an aerial campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times