From the New York Times: With the threat of a U.S. strike on Iran looming, the United States embassy in Jerusalem has told its workers that they may leave Israel and warned them that if they want to, it is vital that they do so immediately.
The directive came from Ambassador Mike Huckabee in an email to embassy workers at the U.S. mission on Friday, a copy of which was reviewed by The New York Times.
The move followed meetings and phone calls through the night, Mr. Huckabee wrote in the email, which made no explicit mention of Iran. He said it resulted from “an abundance of caution” and conversations with the State Department in which officials agreed that the safety of embassy staff was a priority.
Those wishing to leave “should do so TODAY,” Mr. Huckabee continued, urging them to find a flight out of Ben-Gurion Airport to any destination for which they could book passage.
Still stressing urgency, Huckabee warned in the email that this “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,” he added.
State Department reminds every American considering travel to Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza to “reconsider travel.” pic.twitter.com/rp6JCiYGWV
— Olivier Knox (@OKnox) February 27, 2026
As of Friday morning, the Embassy has declared an “authorized departure” status, which allows nonessential personnel and their dependents to evacuate at the government’s expense when “U.S. national interests or imminent threat to life requires it,” the Times explained.
On February 27, 2026, the Department of State authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of U.S. government personnel from Mission Israel due to safety risks.
In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the U.S.… pic.twitter.com/aWzX6Gk36x
— U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (@usembassyjlm) February 27, 2026
The NY Times notes that the 6-hour discussion in Geneva on Thursday between U.S. and Iranian officials did not result in an agreement, as the U.S. is demanding Iran dismantle its nuclear program, and Iran is refusing to do so.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel on Monday, and, in a rare move, he will NOT be taking reporters with him on the trip.
Worth noting, Rubio is not planning to take reporters on this trip https://t.co/CtEPSncUlP
— Elizabeth Hagedorn (@ElizHagedorn) February 27, 2026
Oman’s Foreign Minister is meeting today with Vice President JD Vance after saying that “significant progress” was made during nuclear talks on Thursday.
While diplomatic efforts unfold, additional U.S. military assets are deploying to the Middle East, and the State Department… pic.twitter.com/nt4QMBfm7L
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) February 27, 2026
Sky News reporter Ben Bloch also announced Friday, “The UK government has evacuated its staff from the embassy in Iran. It is “due to the ongoing security situation”, the Foreign Office says. It comes after the US government told its embassy staff in Israel that if they want to leave, they should do so today.”
🚨 NEW: The UK government has evacuated its staff from the embassy in Iran.
It is “due to the ongoing security situation”, the Foreign Office says.
It comes after the US government told its embassy staff in Israel that if they want to leave, they should do so today.
— Ben Bloch (@realBenBloch) February 27, 2026
READ MORE from the New York Times.
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