On 19th March, the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia put out an emergency security warning telling U.S. citizens to leave the Kingdom by commercial aircraft and ensure safe passage as long as the window is open. The caution is given at a time when the US government is increasing its surveillance of the fast-changing security events in the Middle East.

The Embassy announced in a formal message through social media that the Biden-Trump transition team and the existing leadership of the State Department are monitoring the volatility in the region with great attention. The advisory was an indication that the US government is ready to make departures easy by providing real-time information regarding available extraction routes and commercial travelling alternatives.

“The safety and security of the US citizens is the top priority of President Trump, Secretary of State Rubio, and the Department of State,” according to the Embassy. “We urge U.S. citizens to leave Saudi Arabia through commercial flights, provided they can do so safely.”

The Embassy further said that it is in constant contact with Washington to give the citizens the right updates so that they can make informed choices as far as their personal safety is concerned. The advisory does not yet amount to a mandatory evacuation but seems to focus on commercial travel, implying that there is limited time left to conduct regular departures in the event that the situation in the regions worsens even more.

It is advisable that the American nationals who are already in the Kingdom should also enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP) so that they can be regularly informed of the situation on the ground and also ensure that they have high situational awareness.