The U.S. State Department on Friday issued an updated travel advisory authorizing the departure of nonessential government employees and their family members from the United States mission in Israel, citing security risks.
In a statement, the department said the decision was made in light of recent security incidents and an updated assessment of the situation.
The statement added that the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem may impose additional restrictions or prohibit travel by American personnel and their family members to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank, sometimes without prior notice.
U.S. citizens currently in Israel were urged to consider departing the country while commercial flights continue to operate.
According to The New York Times, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote in a follow-up email to embassy staff that those wishing to leave “should do so TODAY,” and must find a flight from Ben Gurion Airport to any destination for which they can secure a booking.
He said the embassy’s move “will likely result in high demand for airline seats today. Focus on getting a seat to anyplace from which you can then continue travel to DC, but the first priority will be getting expeditiously out of country.” Huckabee added that while additional outbound flights may be available in the coming days, that may not necessarily be the case.
At the same time, Huckabee clarified to staff that “There is no need to panic, but for those desiring to leave, it’s important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later.” He said he would hold a meeting with employees at 12:30 p.m. Israel time to provide further information.
The U.S. travel advisory also states that government employees are prohibited from approaching within 11.3 kilometers of the Gaza border, 4 kilometers of the borders with Lebanon and Syria, and 2.4 kilometers of the Egyptian border, except for the Taba crossing. The U.S. Embassy added that it may impose additional restrictions or prohibit travel by American personnel and their family members to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank, sometimes without prior notice.
According to the data center of the Institute for National Security Studies, which tracks U.S. force concentrations in the region, additional aerial refueling aircraft were observed deploying to Israel in the past 24 hours, with several KC-46 aircraft heading to Ben Gurion Airport.
The institute said additional fighter jets — F-15s, F-22s and F-35s — are arriving to reinforce the U.S. posture in the region. Between Feb. 24 and 26, a total of 38 fighter aircraft arrived at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, including 12 F-22 Raptors, between 12 and 14 F-15E Strike Eagles and 12 F-35A Lightning II aircraft, and are expected to proceed to their final destinations.
In addition, it was reported that a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drone crashed on Feb. 22 while operating over the Persian Gulf, possibly after being affected by Iranian electronic warfare systems. The location of the incident corresponds to the area where Iran shot down a U.S. RQ-4A Global Hawk drone in June 2019 — an incident that nearly led to U.S. strikes.
The advisory was issued after the conclusion of an intensive round of talks between the United States and Iran that ended without agreements. In Tehran, officials rejected Washington’s demand to completely halt uranium enrichment on the territory of the Islamic Republic and dismantle key nuclear facilities.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an unprecedented concentration of forces in the Middle East, including aircraft carriers and submarines. The White House warned that if no agreement is reached, a military strike could occur in the immediate term.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said overnight that “The idea that we’re going to be in a Middle Eastern war for years with no end in sight — there is no chance that will happen.” He added, “I do think we have to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. I also think that we have to avoid overlearning the lessons of the past. Just because one president screwed up a military conflict doesn’t mean we can never engage in military conflict again. We’ve got to be careful about it, but I think the president is being careful.”
Following the Geneva talks, a U.S. official said the discussions had been “positive,” adding that certain details were clarified during the second round. The next round is planned for Wednesday in Vienna at the technical level, without U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner or Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the official said. “We continue working to produce an agreement,” the official added.
MSNBC reported that Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who has mediated the talks, is scheduled to meet Friday in Washington with Vance and other U.S. officials in an effort to prevent a U.S. strike on Iran.
Araghchi also struck an optimistic tone after the Geneva round, saying, “We managed to achieve some positive things on sanctions and nuclear issues.” He said technical-level discussions would begin Monday and that negotiations on a potential agreement could continue next week. “Holding the technical round on Monday demonstrates the seriousness of both sides regarding the diplomatic process,” he said, adding that documents must be prepared before a fourth round of talks. He described the latest round as “the best and most serious,” while acknowledging that differences remain on some issues.