WASHINGTON, D.C. March 2, 2026 – The United States Department of State has issued an urgent security advisory calling on all American citizens in the Middle East to leave immediately using any available commercial transportation due to “serious safety risks.”
In an official post on X (formerly Twitter) on March 2, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, speaking on behalf of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warned Americans across the region to depart without delay. The advisory was accompanied by an official graphic titled “Security Updates for Americans in the Middle East (Updated March 2, 4pm EST).”
The countries and territories covered by the “Depart Now” order are:
– Bahrain
– Egypt
– Iran
– Iraq
– Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza
– Jordan
– Kuwait
– Lebanon
– Oman
– Qatar
– Saudi Arabia
– Syria
– United Arab Emirates
– Yemen
“Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada),” the advisory states.
It further recommends that U.S. citizens enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive real-time security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
The sweeping advisory comes at a time of heightened regional tensions, with widespread reports of airspace closures and flight cancellations across many of the listed countries. Social media reactions to the post have highlighted the practical challenges of departure, with users noting that commercial flights are heavily disrupted in several locations.
This is the latest in a series of security alerts from the State Department as the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve rapidly. Americans currently in the affected countries are urged to monitor official channels closely and take immediate steps to leave via available commercial options.
The full advisory and graphic are available via the official State Department account on X (@AsstSecStateCA). For the latest updates, visit travel.state.gov.
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