US Urges Citizens to Leave Israel Immediately Amid Iran Tensions
WASHINGTON – The United States government has unexpectedly authorised the departure of non-essential government workers and their families from Israel amid escalating threats of Iranian attack. The US State Department has urged American citizens to “consider leaving Israel whilst commercial flights remain available.”
The department has also urged US citizens not to travel to Israel. The warning comes after negotiations between the US and Iran concerning the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme concluded inconclusively, with suggestions that further discussions will take place next week.
US President Donald Trump has deployed two carrier strike groups positioned to strike Iran if he determines that Tehran is not serious about ending its nuclear activities. The State Department warning was accompanied by a message to US embassy staff from Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, urging those wishing to depart to “do so TODAY.”
According to the Guardian, Huckabee contacted embassy staff via an email sent at 00.04 local time, urging them to book flights wherever available. This step will “likely result in heightened demand for airline seats at present,” he wrote.
“Focus on securing a seat anywhere so you can continue your journey to Washington, but the first priority is to leave this country immediately.”
The call to leave Israel emerged as Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, the principal mediator in US-Iran talks, flew to Washington in a final attempt to persuade the Trump administration to exercise restraint.
He is scheduled to brief US Vice President JD Vance and convey that sufficient progress has already been achieved in those negotiations to warrant caution.
The urgency of his visit, just hours after US-Iran negotiations concluded in Geneva on Thursday evening, indicates that he believes he must act quickly to counter voices calling for military intervention. Signalling a substantial gap between the two sides, Iranian leadership has demanded that the US cancel its most severe demands.