US Orders Major Diplomatic Drawdown in Middle East as Conflict With Iran Widens

The United States has launched its largest diplomatic drawdown in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War, closing embassies, evacuating personnel and urging Americans to leave the region as fighting between the US, Israel and Iran intensifies.

The State Department has shuttered several embassies to the public, suspended operations at its consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, and ordered the departure of nonessential staff and families from at least six countries, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Americans in 14 countries across the region have been advised to depart immediately, even as airport closures and flight cancellations complicate travel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 9,000 Americans have left the Middle East since the weekend, many without direct government assistance. He told reporters that about 1,500 people had formally requested help to depart, while nearly 3,000 had contacted the department seeking information.

Charter flights are being arranged from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In areas where airspace is closed, officials are coordinating land routes to countries such as Egypt and Oman where commercial flights remain available. Rubio acknowledged that some evacuation flights have been forced to turn back when airspace was suddenly shut.

The scale of the drawdown rivals measures taken ahead of the Iraq invasion more than two decades ago, when staffing was reduced across a wide swath of the Middle East and North Africa. On Monday, a hastily issued advisory on X urged Americans to leave countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.

Embassies in Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have closed to the public. A drone strike on the US Embassy in Riyadh caused a limited fire and partial roof damage, according to Saudi authorities and an internal State Department memo. No injuries were reported. Two drones also struck near the US Embassy in Kuwait City without casualties.

The rapid staff reductions have strained routine consular services and limited official engagement with regional governments at a critical moment. Critics have questioned whether adequate planning was in place for evacuations and emergency assistance.

The US government cannot force citizens to leave foreign countries, and Americans are not required to register their presence abroad, making it difficult to estimate how many remain in the region. Tens of thousands, including dual nationals, are believed to reside in Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Iran.

As hostilities continue and travel routes remain disrupted, officials say evacuation efforts are ongoing, though the situation remains fluid and unpredictable.