The U.S. State Department issued an urgent message to Americans in 14 countries Monday, ordering them to “DEPART NOW” amid escalating military actions in the Middle East.
The post on X from Assistant Secretary of State Mora Namdar said Americans need to leave using commercial transport “due to serious safety risks.”
Why It Matters
The warning comes as United States and Israeli airstrikes on Iran over the weekend have triggered a sweeping disruption to air travel across the Middle East, leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded and major aviation hubs shuttered.
The Islamic Republic launched retaliatory strikes across U.S. bases in the Middle East and Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapon. The country had engaged in diplomatic talks with the U.S. only days earlier to prevent military conflict.
Amid the conflict, a number of flights have been canceled or rerouted in many major international airports and hundreds of thousands of travelers have been left stranded.
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.
What To Know
In addition to the West Bank and Gaza territories, the 14 countries listed in the advisory are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 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. Officials at Dubai International said four people were injured in strikes, while Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi reported one person killed and seven others injured in a drone strike. Strikes were also reported at Kuwait International Airport. Iran did not publicly claim responsibility for the retaliatory strikes on the UAE airports.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that at least 90,000 people change flights daily through the Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi airports on just three airlines—Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways—underscoring the scale of the disruption. Emirates suspended all flights to and from Dubai until at least Monday afternoon. Air India suspended all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until Tuesday. Israeli airline EL AL closed ticket sales for flights through March 21 to ensure stranded customers receive priority once airspace reopens.
The reverberations extended far beyond the region. Airport authorities in Bali, Indonesia, said more than 1,600 tourists were stranded Sunday after five flights to the Middle East were canceled or postponed. International airports in London, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Istanbul, Sri Lanka and Paris each reported dozens of additional cancellations.
What People Are Saying
U.S. State Department, in a statement on February 28: “Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution. ”
Kristy Ellmer, an American stranded in Dubai on a business trip, to the Associated Press (AP): “You hear a lot of explosions at times, there’s hundreds of them. And so when we hear them we sort of just don’t stay near the windows just in case the glass was to break or there was some impact.”
Namdar, per X: “We have no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should enroll at http://step.state.gov to receive the latest security alerts for their location, including any travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures.”
Henry Harteveldt, airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, to the AP: “For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this. You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”
What Happens Next
Americans in the listed countries and territories needing State Department assistance arranging departure via commercial means can call 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 from abroad or +1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada.
Travelers are also urged to enroll at step.state.gov to receive the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Airlines have urged passengers to check flight status online before heading to airports, with some issuing waivers allowing rebooking without additional fees and others offering full refunds.
Reporting from the AP contributed to this article.
Update 3/2/26, 5:57 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
