US Lets Some Embassy Staff Leave Israel, Citing Safety Risks Amid Iran Tensions

The US will permit non-emergency government personnel and family members to leave Israel over safety risks, the US Embassy in Jerusalem said on Friday, amid growing concerns about the risk of a military conflict with Iran.

The embassy did not elaborate on the safety risks leading to the “authorized 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 New York Times reported that Mike Huckabee, the US Ambassador to Israel, told staff in an email that those wishing to leave “should do so TODAY.”

“There is no need to panic,” Huckabee was quoted by the newspaper as writing, “but for those desiring to leave, it’s important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later.”

The embassy declined to comment on the newspaper’s report.

The US has built up its military in the Middle East as it negotiates with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. The latest round of talks ended on Thursday with no sign of a breakthrough that could avert potential US strikes.

The two sides plan to resume negotiations soon after consultations in their countries’ capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled to take place next week in Vienna, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X after the day’s meetings in Switzerland. Oman has served as mediator in the negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked, and an escalation could also draw in Israel, which conducted a 12-day bombing campaign in June against Iran that Washington eventually joined.

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.