- The State Department issued a Depart Now advisory for 15 locations across the Middle East.
- Iran launched missile and drone strikes following U.S. and Israeli military actions on Saturday.
- Widespread commercial airspace closures in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, and Kuwait are severely limiting evacuation options.
(MIDDLE EAST) — The U.S. State Department issued a “Depart Now” advisory on Monday, March 2, 2026, urging Americans across parts of the Middle East to leave immediately using commercial transportation as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran drives what it called serious safety risks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in a social media video, said the department’s top priority is the safety of American citizens as Iran launches missile and drone strikes on Gulf states after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Saturday.
The warning covers 15 locations across the Middle East, spanning sovereign states and territories, including the Palestinian Territories. The department framed the advisory around rapidly evolving security conditions that can shift with little notice and leave travelers with fewer options to move.
A “Depart Now” message signals a sharper posture than routine travel guidance, with the State Department urging Americans not to wait for conditions to improve before attempting to leave. The advisory’s emphasis on commercial transportation reflects the department’s view that regular airline and land connections can narrow quickly when conflict intensifies.
On the ground, the State Department’s guidance points to practical constraints that can make departures difficult even for travelers who can secure tickets. The risks include sudden airspace closures, route changes, local restrictions on movement, and disruptions that can strand passengers mid-journey or force last-minute rebookings.
The department also urged Americans to monitor official U.S. embassy security alerts and follow local instructions, underscoring that conditions can deteriorate in ways that affect roads, airports and border crossings as well as flight schedules.
Geography shapes the impact of the advisory because air corridors, hub airports and overflight routes can become unusable when military activity expands across borders. Even travelers outside immediate conflict zones can face cascading disruptions when airlines reroute around closed airspace or suspend flights into cities seen as higher risk.
The breadth of the State Department’s list reflects the regional nature of the conflict and the possibility of spillover, including the prospect that restrictions or attacks in one country can affect departures elsewhere. The department’s coverage can also change as conditions evolve.
Commercial flight disruptions emerged as a central obstacle to following the “Depart Now” instruction, with multiple airspaces closing and airlines halting or altering service. As of Monday night, airspaces closed in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait, halting all flights.
Israel planned a gradual airspace reopening next week, while Jordan and Syria were partially closed. The partial reopenings and staggered timelines added to uncertainty for travelers trying to connect onward, especially when itineraries depend on transiting through multiple airports.
Egypt’s airspace remained operational, but its airlines suspended services to some cities, and rerouting increased through alternate hubs. Many flights shifted via Egypt, Turkey, Oman and Saudi Arabia as carriers sought paths around closed or restricted areas.
Rerouting, however, brought its own volatility, with some flights facing holds or turnbacks. Riyadh flights were held or turned back due to explosions, illustrating how a security incident can disrupt traffic even when an airport remains open.
The advisory’s travel-level framework also changed for specific destinations, which can affect how travelers, employers and insurers assess risk. The State Department updated Qatar to Level 3: Reconsider Travel on March 2, 2026.
Yemen remained Level 4: Do Not Travel. The department’s levels can influence airline decisions on whether to keep routes operating, as well as company travel approvals and personal decisions about whether to remain in place or attempt to leave.
The scale of Americans potentially affected is large, with the department warning that hundreds of thousands could be in the region. The State Department figures cited include ~600,000 in Israel (pre-Oct 2023 figure), 80,000 in Saudi Arabia (2022), 50,000 in UAE (2015), 43,000 in Lebanon (2023), 30,000 in Kuwait (2020), and 15,000 in Qatar (2015).
Those estimates can vary over time, and the department’s ability to provide help can be constrained by local conditions and the pace at which commercial options disappear. The department’s message stressed leaving while routes remain available, even if they require indirect itineraries and longer travel times.
Alongside the call to depart via any available commercial options immediately, the State Department urged Americans to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The department also told travelers to monitor updates through its WhatsApp channel and social media.
The advisory tied those steps to the need for faster communications during a rapidly changing crisis, including airport closures, new local restrictions and shifting security guidance. The State Department also urged Americans to follow local U.S. embassy alerts, which can include instructions on safe movement and changes in consular operations.
Rubio’s remarks came against the backdrop of Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Gulf states, which followed U.S. and Israeli attacks on Saturday. The department’s public posture signaled that it views the regional environment as unstable enough that travelers should not assume normal services will continue.
The State Department also pointed to a broader global risk picture, citing a February 28, 2026, Worldwide Caution that advised extra vigilance worldwide, especially in the Middle East, due to U.S. operations in Iran and airspace issues. The caution reinforced the department’s message that security concerns extend beyond a single destination and can affect routes and transit points.
Other governments also moved to bolster assistance for their citizens in the region. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced rapid deployment teams on Monday to aid British nationals, with ~100,000 registered in the region, in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, UAE.
Official actions in the region also shifted as conditions changed. The Saudi Embassy in U.S. lifted a Jeddah shelter-in-place on March 2, 2026, reflecting how local instructions can tighten or ease quickly as authorities assess threats and the safety of movement.
For Americans seeking to comply with the “Depart Now” directive, the State Department’s warning underscores a narrowing window defined as much by flight availability as by personal circumstances. With airspaces closing in multiple countries and airlines suspending or rerouting service, the department’s message to use commercial transportation while it remains available has become the central constraint shaping who can leave, when, and by what route.
