Multiple U.S. embassies across the Middle East were placed on high alert Tuesday as President Donald Trump and Israel intensified their bombardment of Iran, with the president warning that “the big wave hasn’t even happened.”
Security alerts were issued for American diplomatic facilities in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while the State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and families from several countries, including Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy warned of “imminent” missile and drone threats over Dhahran, home to major oil infrastructure and the headquarters of Aramco. Americans were told to shelter in place immediately and avoid the U.S. Consulate.
The embassy in Kuwait also shut down operations after reported attacks in the vicinity. Across the region, airspace closures have left many foreign nationals stranded as governments urge citizens to leave while commercial routes remain severely disrupted.
The alerts came as the U.S. and Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Tehran and surrounding areas. Israeli forces issued evacuation warnings in Persian for civilians near the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and the area surrounding Payam Airport in Karaj, citing planned strikes on military targets.
Overnight bombardments reportedly destroyed additional Iranian government and security compounds in the capital. Iranian state media confirmed explosions at a broadcasting facility but said there were no injuries.
Trump doubled down on his rhetoric, posting on Truth Social that Iran’s leadership and military command structure “is gone,” and claiming Tehran is now seeking talks. “Too late,” he wrote.
Iran has responded with sweeping retaliation. Its forces launched drone attacks targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts thousands of American troops and serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. There were no immediate confirmed casualties from that strike.
The conflict has quickly engulfed the wider region. Iranian drones and missiles have targeted Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE. Hezbollah has joined the fight from Lebanon, firing rockets into Israel and prompting retaliatory airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported that Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility sustained “recent damage,” though no radiological consequences were expected, per the Daily Mail.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, claiming Iran was rebuilding underground nuclear infrastructure. Tehran denies enriching uranium since earlier strikes in 2025 and insists its program remains peaceful.
The U.S. military has now confirmed six American troop deaths since the conflict began, including three announced earlier this week. Civilian casualties have also mounted across the region, with Iranian and Israeli fatalities reported and additional deaths confirmed in Gulf states following drone impacts.
Oil markets reacted sharply to the escalation after Iran ordered the Strait of Hormuz closed, threatening a critical global energy chokepoint. U.S. gasoline prices have already climbed above $3.10 per gallon, according to AAA.
Initially, Trump suggested the war could last four to five weeks. He has since warned it could stretch “far longer,” raising concerns about a drawn-out regional conflict with no clear exit strategy.
Vice President J.D. Vance has stated that the primary objective is to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability.
Trump previously urged Iranians to overthrow their government following strikes that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — though senior officials later clarified that regime change is not the official goal.
