US Embassy in Baghdad urges American citizens to leave Iraq immediately

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The US Embassy in Baghdad issued an urgent security alert urging American citizens in Iraq to depart the country immediately, citing heightened regional tensions. The embassy warned that travel disruptions and sudden, unannounced airspace closures could occur with little notice. Iraq remains at Level 4, the highest risk designation in the US travel advisory system, and the embassy reiterated that Americans should not travel to the country for any reason. It advised US citizens in Iraq to leave as soon as possible and to monitor flight status directly with airlines. The alert follows recent statements by US officials regarding potential operations against critical facilities in Iran, as well as what the US Central Command described as defensive strikes on Iran-linked targets. No further details on the embassy's security assessment were immediately available.