The U.S. State Department has added the United Arab Emirates to its list of countries from which non-emergency personnel and family members are being ordered to depart, citing heightened risks amid escalating tensions with Iran.
According to FOXNEWS, in an advisory issued this week, Americans in over a dozen Middle Eastern nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan, were urged to leave the region using available commercial transportation due to serious safety concerns.
The advisory, publicly shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, warned of potential retaliation and militant attacks linked to the widening conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
U.S. diplomatic missions in the region have issued stricter security warnings. In Abu Dhabi, the U.S. Embassy cautioned that intelligence indicates possible militant threats targeting tourist and transit hubs, though no specific targets were identified. Americans were advised to avoid large gatherings and maintain heightened vigilance.
Elsewhere, several U.S. missions temporarily scaled back operations or sheltered staff amid credible threats of rockets, missiles, or drone attacks.
The evacuation directive follows coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, which triggered retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Tehran and its allies across Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The violence has prompted embassy closures, heightened alerts, and airspace disruptions that have stranded thousands of travelers in hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Local authorities have extended hotel stays and assisted passengers affected by flight cancellations.
The State Department’s “Depart Now” warning also covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, and the Palestinian territories. U.S. officials have not indicated how long the evacuation advisory will remain in effect, emphasizing that the situation remains fluid and may change rapidly.