US closes embassies after drone strikes hit Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

Drones hit two US compounds in the Gulf

The United States closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Tuesday after drone strikes hit both compounds.

In Riyadh, two drones started a fire and caused minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry. Saudi forces shot down eight more drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj.

A separate drone struck the US Embassy compound in Kuwait on Monday. The Kuwait embassy said it would close until further notice, citing regional tensions.

State Department tells Americans to leave now

Assistant Secretary of State Mora Namdar posted on social media, urging Americans to “depart now” from countries across the Middle East.

The advisory cited serious safety risks and told people to use any available commercial transportation.

The list covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE, and Yemen.

Some observers noted the announcement came through social media rather than through standard formal channels.

Six nations told to send staff home

The State Department ordered nonessential government workers and their families to leave Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.

Most of those advisories cited an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran. The Iraq advisory pointed to broader security concerns.

By Tuesday, embassies in Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia had all closed their doors to the public.

Getting out is harder than it sounds

Many airports across the Gulf have shut down or are running with major disruptions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some evacuation flights had to turn back because the airspace was closed.

Rubio said about 9,000 Americans had already left the Middle East since the weekend, but more than 1,500 had asked the government for help getting out.

The State Department set up a 24/7 hotline at +1-202-501-4444.

A recorded message on the hotline initially told callers not to rely on the US government for assisted departure at this time.

Six US troops killed in Kuwait strike

Six US service members died in an Iranian drone strike at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Sunday. They were the first American military deaths in the conflict.

The strike hit a makeshift tactical operations center described as a fortified triple-wide trailer. The death toll was first reported as three before the remains of two more service members were recovered.

The Pentagon identified four of the six as Army Reserve soldiers assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said one projectile made it through air defenses.

Iran hits targets across the Gulf

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Gulf states that host US military bases. Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia all came under fire.

All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have been hit since Saturday.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks on the US embassies in Riyadh and Kuwait City as a violation of international law.

How the conflict started

The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 in an operation the Pentagon called Epic Fury.

The strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian military and intelligence officials. The operation came after nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran fell apart.

President Donald Trump said Iran was preparing to strike first, and the US moved before that could happen.

Trump notifies Congress on war powers

Trump sent a war powers notification to Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley. The letter said the threat from Iran to the US and its allies had become untenable despite repeated diplomatic efforts.

Trump said it was not possible to know the full scope or duration of operations at this time. The War Powers Act requires the president to notify Congress when US forces are deployed into hostilities.

Trump said the operation could last four to five weeks.

Protests hit US missions in Pakistan

A large crowd stormed the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday, angered by Khamenei’s death. At least 10 people died when police pushed back protesters there.

Two more people died near the US Embassy in Islamabad.

The embassy in Islamabad canceled all visa appointments through Friday, and the US consulate in Peshawar suspended operations.

In Baghdad, hundreds of protesters tried to force their way into the fortified Green Zone where the US Embassy sits.

Biggest diplomatic pullback since 2003

The embassy closures and staff departures mark the largest US diplomatic drawdown in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War. Consular services are not available in many parts of the region.

The State Department ordered the departure of nonessential personnel from Bahrain and several other countries, cutting the staff available to help Americans and limiting contact with allied governments during the conflict.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee warned that there are very limited options for US citizens trying to leave Israel.

Gulf states push back on Iran

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry called the Riyadh embassy strike a flagrant Iranian attack.

Qatar condemned the strikes as a violation of international conventions, and the UAE warned it would not accept actions that compromise its sovereignty.

Several Gulf states are reportedly weighing their own offensive air strikes against Iran.

Saudi oil giant Aramco is trying to reroute crude exports to the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks have nearly halted shipping.

What Americans in the region should do

Americans still in the Middle East should use any available commercial transportation to get out. Those who cannot leave should shelter in place.

The State Department hotline runs around the clock at +1-202-501-4444.

Americans can also sign up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for security updates. Airspace closures may change without warning.

The State Department said it is working to arrange charter and military aircraft for Americans who want to leave but have no other options.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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