The US has temporarily shut two American embassies in West Asia and scaled down diplomatic operations in several other countries as regional strikes intensify.
The US embassy in Saudi Arabia was closed after the facility was hit by two Iranian drones. Separately, the US embassy in Kuwait has been shut “until further notice”, with Washington earlier ordering the departure of non-emergency government personnel from Kuwait. Video footage circulating on international media showed smoke rising from the vicinity of the embassy compound.
The US State Department has urged citizens to immediately leave 14 countries across the region, citing “serious safety risks” amid the escalating conflict.
It has also directed non-emergency US government staff and their families to depart from half a dozen other countries including Bahrain and UAE.
What began as direct hostilities between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other has rapidly drawn in Gulf states and armed groups aligned with Tehran.
Iran continued launching ballistic missiles at Israel, while also targeting US bases and energy infrastructure in Arab Gulf states. The US acknowledged the deaths of six soldiers stationed in Kuwait. In Israel, most incoming missiles were intercepted, but some broke through air defences, killing at least 11 people.
Donald Trump said the war could last longer than initially expected, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated operations against Iran could continue for some time, though not “years”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the “hardest hits are yet to come”.
The Iran conflict has reignited fighting along Israel’s northern border. The Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched missile and drone attacks on northern Israel, including military bases.
Israel responded with sustained airstrikes across southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, and confirmed that ground troops had begun operating in parts of south Lebanon. Lebanese authorities, citing neutrality concerns, have reportedly moved against Hezbollah’s military activities, signalling internal tensions within Lebanon.
The regional spillover has rattled global energy markets. Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit chokepoint, and threatened to strike vessels attempting passage. Attacks on infrastructure forced Qatar to halt operations at a major liquefied natural gas facility, while Saudi Arabia suspended activity at the Ras Tanura refinery.
With embassies shuttered, troops mobilising and energy routes under threat, the conflict has evolved into one of the most volatile Middle East crises in decades, carrying significant implications for global oil supplies, financial markets and expatriate communities across the Gulf.