State Dept. scrambles to aid stranded Americans amid attacks, airport closures

"An internal State Department alert reviewed by The Washington Post said the embassy in Riyadh was hit multiple times by drone attacks and that its main building was "contaminated with smoke" with "part of its roof collapsed." In Kuwait City, a warehouse was set ablaze and the main building's windows were damaged, according to a separate notification."

"The closure of key diplomatic sites stands to further upend efforts to assist U.S. citizens, whom the State Department has urged to leave the Middle East immediately. That warning, issued late Monday, applies to 14 countries and cites "serious safety risks.""

"The situation facing Americans in those three countries has been made more perilous by the apparent targeting of tourist sites by Iranian forces, including hotels and airports. The State Department has encouraged U.S. citizens to flee using commercial transportation, but wide-scale airspace closures have made a quick exit difficult, if not impossible."

Following military tensions between the United States and Iran, the State Department closed embassies in Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh embassy sustained significant damage from drone attacks, including roof collapse and smoke contamination. The Kuwait City facility experienced fire damage and broken windows. The Beirut closure resulted from regional tensions. The State Department issued warnings for U.S. citizens to leave 14 Middle Eastern countries immediately due to serious safety risks. Iranian forces targeted tourist infrastructure including hotels and airports, complicating civilian evacuations. Commercial airspace closures have severely restricted escape routes. The administration has not organized evacuation flights, leaving Americans dependent on limited commercial transportation options.

Read at The Washington Post