The State Department has urged US citizens to leave over a dozen countries immediately amid escalating Iranian retaliatory strikes

The US State Department has issued an urgent warning for American citizens to immediately leave over a dozen countries across the Middle East, citing "serious safety risks" as Iran's retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli targets continue to escalate.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar stated Washington "urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks."

The warning covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Americans requiring assistance with commercial departures have been directed to call the State Department's 24-hour hotline and enroll in the STEP program for security updates.

The advisory comes as Iran has launched targeted attacks on US bases and assets across the Gulf region in retaliation for the unprovoked US-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders on Saturday.

The retaliatory strikes have also targeted major regional aviation hubs, including Dubai International Airport - the world's busiest - where damage and casualties were reported, as well as sites near international airports in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.

In response, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE have announced partial or total airspace closures, triggering widespread travel chaos across the region with more than 3,400 flights canceled across seven major Middle Eastern airports, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Social media footage has shown overcrowded terminals across the region, with stranded passengers sleeping on airport floors. Dubai Airport has been described as a "massive waiting room," with transit passengers accounting for nearly half of those trapped.

Russian carriers, including Aeroflot, have also canceled or rerouted flights, suspending services to Tehran, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), approximately 8,000 Russian tourists have been stranded abroad after missing Middle East connections.

(RT.com)