US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has advised embassy staff to consider leaving Israel immediately amid escalating tensions with Iran.
In an email sent at 10:24 am on Friday to US mission employees, Huckabee wrote that those wishing to depart should secure any airline still operating flights to Washington and that the priority would be getting out of the country expeditiously, according to The New York Times.
“There is no need to panic,” he said, “but for those desiring to leave, it's important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later.”
The advisory comes as Iran has warned that if the United States attacks, American military bases in the region would be considered legitimate targets, putting tens of thousands of US service members at risk. Tehran has also threatened to strike Israel, raising fears that a wider regional conflict could erupt across the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment and roll back its long-range missile programme and support for regional armed groups.
Iran has maintained that it will only discuss nuclear issues and insists its atomic programme is for peaceful purposes.
On February 19, Trump gave Iran 15 days to reach a deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported that US negotiators may seek the dismantling of Iran’s three main nuclear sites and the transfer of enriched uranium to the United States. Iran said on Friday that Washington must drop what it called excessive demands to secure an agreement.
A previous round of talks collapsed after Israel launched strikes on Iran last June, triggering a 12-day conflict that briefly drew in the United States.