US urges Americans to leave Middle East if tensions amid war escalate
The U.S. State Department urged Americans in the Middle East to exercise heightened caution and consider leaving the region as tensions with Iran continue to rise, warning of possible flight disruptions, airspace closures and threats to U.S. interests abroad.
In an updated travel advisory, the department said U.S. citizens currently in the Middle East should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions if the security situation deteriorates.
“Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation,” the advisory said.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 21: U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions from the media during a bilateral meeting with President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office of the White House on July 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. Aoun is visiting the White House on the final day of a four-day trip to Washington to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah as the Israeli military begins its first limited withdrawal from Lebanon following last month’s U.S.-brokered agreement. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The State Department also advised Americans outside the Middle East to “seriously reconsider” travel to or through the region, urging travelers to closely monitor airline operations and airport conditions before departing.
The warning comes as fighting and heightened tensions continue to disrupt commercial aviation across parts of the Middle East. Several airlines have delayed plans to restore normal flight schedules, while others have suspended routes altogether because of ongoing security concerns.
The advisory also warned that U.S. diplomatic facilities have been targeted in the past and said Iran and groups aligned with Tehran could seek to attack additional American interests overseas.
“Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world,” the State Department said, including U.S. businesses and other institutions.
The department encouraged Americans traveling internationally to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive security updates and make it easier for U.S. officials to contact them during an emergency.
President Donald Trump on Friday said the U.S. will “be hitting” Iran “very hard.”
“You know, at some point they’re going to say, we just can’t take it anymore,” he said during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David.