APTOPIX Lebanon Israel Iran
Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
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The largest U.S. diplomatic drawdown in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War is creating an apparently unplanned-for crisis for the Trump administration. The State Department has been forced to close several embassies to the public, shut down at least one consulate, order the departure of embassy staff and families from at least six nations and advise Americans in 14 countries to leave the region immediately. That's despite the war closing major airports and causing widespread flight cancellations. The State Department said Tuesday that more than 9,000 Americans had safely returned from the Middle East since the weekend and that it was preparing military and charter flights for Americans who wish to leave.
