U.S. missions in Iraq advise Americans to prepare to leave region as tensions with Iran persist

BAGHDAD — The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil on Saturday urged American citizens to exercise heightened caution and consider leaving the Middle East as regional tensions with Iran continue.

In a security alert, the diplomatic missions said “the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” warning that travelers should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and other travel disruptions.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated in recent weeks following a series of military exchanges across the Middle East. The United States has carried out repeated strikes on Iranian military targets, saying the operations are intended to deter attacks on U.S. forces and protect shipping routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities, commercial shipping and regional allies, while warning that further U.S. military action would trigger additional retaliation.

The advisory said Americans currently in the Middle East “should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation,” noting that some airlines have delayed the resumption of normal schedules while others have canceled routes.

The embassy advised U.S. citizens to check flight information directly with airlines or through the websites of Baghdad, Erbil, Basra and Sulaymaniyah airports before traveling.

The alert also urged Americans outside the Middle East to “seriously reconsider travel to and through the region” and to closely monitor airport and airline operations if they choose to travel.

The embassy warned that U.S. diplomatic facilities and American interests could face security threats, stating that “U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted.” It added that “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.”

Describing the regional situation as fluid, the embassy said “the Iranian regime is unpredictable,” citing what it described as recent attacks carried out “without warning or provocations” and the expansion of attacks into areas “not previously targeted.”

For Americans in Iraq, the embassy advised maintaining a high level of vigilance, monitoring local media and following instructions from local authorities.

Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Iran-aligned factions under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella have carried out repeated drone, rocket and missile attacks on U.S. military and diplomatic targets in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region as well as on civilian sites, while Popular Mobilization Forces positions have been struck across several governorates, killing about 100 fighters in attacks the group attributed to the United States and Israel.