Washington, March 3 (SANA) The U.S. State Department has urged American citizens to leave several countries in the Middle East immediately, citing serious security risks as tensions escalate in the region.
According to CNN, the department on Monday advised U.S. nationals to depart using available commercial flights from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. It also called on American citizens to leave Israel.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the safety and security of U.S. citizens worldwide remain the government’s top priority, particularly in light of developments in the Middle East.
The advisory comes as the United States and Israel continue military strikes against Iran, which began Saturday. On Monday, President Donald Trump said a broader wave of military strikes against Iran could begin soon and may last up to four weeks.