The US embassy in Israel announced on Friday that it was allowing non-emergency personnel and their family members to leave the country “due to safety risks.”
According to a statement on its website, the embassy situated in Jerusalem advised people who wished to leave to do so while flights were still available.
“On February 27, 2026, the Department of State authorised the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of US government personnel from Mission Israel due to safety risks,” the statement on the embassy website said.
“Persons may wish to consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are available,” it added.
The embassy did not elaborate on the safety risks leading to the “authorised departure”, which allows affected personnel to decide whether to leave. It falls short of the ordered departure instituted this week for some personnel at the US Embassy in Beirut.
The Jerusalem mission asked people to “reconsider” travelling to Israel and the West Bank “due to terrorism and civil unrest” while advising not to travel at all to Gaza, northern Israel and the country’s border with Egypt. However, it said that people could travel to the Taba crossing, which is open.
“Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. The security environment is complex and can change quickly, and violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning. Increased regional tensions can cause airlines to cancel and/or curtail flights into and out of Israel,” the statement further added.
The US-Iran tension
The US has built up one of its biggest military deployments in the Middle East as it negotiates with Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme. The latest round of talks ended on Thursday with no sign of a breakthrough.
Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked, and an escalation could also draw in Israel. The two foes fought a 12-day war in June.
Several countries have begun withdrawing dependents of diplomatic personnel and non-essential staff from some locations in the Middle East, or advising citizens to avoid travel to Iran, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.