Topline
The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency diplomatic staffers from six countries in the Middle East and temporarily shut down operations at the Kuwaiti Embassy on Tuesday, as Tehran expanded its retaliatory strikes on U.S. assets and allied Gulf states, while U.S. and Israeli forces continued to target Iran and its proxies.
Vantor satellite image shows firefighting efforts and damage assessment at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery after it was purportedly struck during Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
DigitalGlobe/Getty Images
Key Facts
In a statement on social media, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait said it will remain “closed until further notice” due to “ongoing regional tensions.”
The Embassy said it has canceled all “regular and emergency consular appointments,” in a statement that came a day after smoke and fire were seen rising from its compound amid Iran’s aerial attacks on Kuwait.
As a result of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, the U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of “non-emergency U.S. government personnel” and their families from six Middle Eastern countries.
The list includes Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq and Qatar, and travel advisories for each of these countries have also been issued to U.S. citizens with warnings of “armed conflict” and “terrorist violence.”
Late on Monday, U.S. officials confirmed the country’s embassy in Saudi Arabia had been struck by a suspected Iranian drone.
In addition to expanding drone and missile attacks on Gulf States, Iran has also declared the strategically important Strait of Hormuz closed and has threatened to fire on any ship passing through it.
Crucial Quote
In a post on X, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said it was closed on Tuesday and urged people to “Avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility.” The statement urged U.S. citizens in the country to “continue to shelter in place.” The statement was a few hours after several outlets reported that the Embassy building was hit by two drones. The Embassy and State Department have not yet shared any details about any casualties or the extent of damage.
This is a developing story.
Leave a comment