The U.S. State Department issued an urgent message to Americans in 14 countries on Monday, telling them to “Depart Now” amid escalating military actions in the Middle East.
President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio said the big wave is coming soon.
The post on X from Assistant Secretary of State Mora Namdar said Americans need to leave using commercial transport “due to serious safety risks.”
Air travel is drastically disrupted as Iran launches retaliatory strikes.
Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates have been closed, according to flight tracking sites and government agencies. More than 2,800 flights were canceled Sunday to and from airports across the region, with cancellations expected to extend beyond the weekend.
The 14 countries listed in the advisory are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Shutdown airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha—including Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world—serve as critical hubs for travel between Europe, Africa, and Asia, compounding the disruption for travelers worldwide.
Reports by i24 News state that the UAE and Qatar are pushing to convince President Trump to find an exit quickly. They are worried about the disruption to global markets.
I pray that all Americans will make it home safely, and that American and Israeli forces will soon decimate all that remains of Iran’s military capabilities.