US closes embassies in several Arab countries amid escalating regional tensions
WASHINGTON: The United States has shut down several of its diplomatic missions across the Middle East and Gulf, and ordered non-essential staff and their families to leave some countries, amid ongoing regional military tensions.
The US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was closed on Tuesday, with all routine and emergency appointments cancelled until further notice. In a post on X, the embassy urged US citizens in Saudi Arabia to stay at home and avoid the diplomatic compound, citing an attack on the building. Authorities in Saudi Arabia confirmed that two drones struck the embassy in Riyadh, causing a small fire and minor material damage, but no injuries were reported.
The embassy also activated a "stay-in-place" advisory for Americans in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.
In Kuwait, the US embassy announced via X that it had suspended all consular services, including routine and emergency appointments, until normal operations can resume. The mission said it would notify the public when services restart.
Separately, the US State Department ordered non-essential employees and family members to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. The move follows an earlier directive for staff in Iraq, reflecting growing concerns over the security environment across the region.
In updated travel guidance posted on X, the State Department said it had revised advisories for Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq to allow voluntary departure for non-emergency government personnel and their families.
The developments come amid an intensified conflict in the Middle East, which erupted last Saturday after combined US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Iran's Supreme Leader and senior commanders — an action that Tehran's authorities say also resulted in significant civilian casualties.
In response, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and other regional targets, contributing to deepening instability.
By RSS/QNA
