Iran War Day 4: US Orders "Depart Now" From 14 Countries as Gulf Burns
Image: Iran War Day 4: US Orders "Depart Now" From 14 Countries as
Iran's retaliatory campaign is no longer aimed at military targets alone. On Day 4 of the war, drone and missile strikes are landing across Gulf Arab states. The US State Department has told Americans in 14 countries to leave immediately. Six US service members are confirmed dead. Trump says this runs four to five weeks.
The Strike Map Is Expanding
The opening days of the US-Israel campaign focused on Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran's response has been different in design - wide, regional, and aimed at the arteries of Gulf commerce and American presence abroad.
Early Tuesday, two drones hit the US Embassy compound in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter. A fire broke out. Saudi air defenses intercepted four additional incoming drones. The Saudi Defence Ministry confirmed "minor material damage" and no casualties - the embassy was empty.
At roughly the same time, Iran's IRGC launched 20 drones and three ballistic missiles at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. The IRGC claimed the main command and headquarters building was destroyed and fuel tanks set ablaze. Smoke and flames were visible across Manama. The US military has not confirmed or denied the extent of structural damage.
In Oman, a fuel tank at the Duqm commercial port was hit in a drone strike. No casualties. In the UAE, Iranian drone attacks earlier this week killed three foreign nationals - a Pakistani, a Nepali, and a Bangladeshi. The Al Minhad airbase near Dubai, used by Australian forces, was also struck on the first night of the war.
Civilians Ordered Out Across the Region
The US State Department issued an emergency directive ordering all American citizens to "DEPART NOW via commercial means" from 14 countries: Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen, Jordan, and Iran.
"Due to serious safety risks, the Department of State urges U.S. citizens in these countries to depart immediately while commercial options remain available." - Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs
The list spans a region of roughly 300 million people. Several major airlines have already suspended service to Gulf hubs. Flights to Dubai, Bahrain, and Doha partially resumed Tuesday after brief suspensions, but schedules remain volatile.
Trump: "You'll Find Out Soon"
Asked about the US response to the embassy attack and the rising American body count, President Trump told NewsNation: "You'll find out soon." He separately told the New York Times the military campaign against Iran could last "four or five weeks" - longer than earlier White House messaging suggested.
The US military confirmed six American service members killed so far. Four died in the initial Iranian retaliatory strikes on bases in Jordan and Kuwait. Two more were recovered in the days since. Pentagon officials have declined to specify where the latest deaths occurred.
Tehran Strikes Cultural Heritage Site
Iranian state media reported significant damage to Golestan Palace in central Tehran - a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 16th century. The palace complex sustained structural damage in US-Israeli air strikes targeting adjacent government and security council buildings. International condemnation was swift; UNESCO called for an immediate protection assessment.
Israel separately announced strikes on the Iranian presidential office and the national security council building in Tehran, framing them as targeting Iran's political command structure rather than civilian facilities.
The UN Calls for a "Way Out"
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties Tuesday to identify "a way out" of the escalating conflict. He did not call for a ceasefire by name. Security Council consultations are ongoing, though no vote is expected given the likelihood of a US veto.
The war is now in its fourth day. Iran has demonstrated both the reach and the will to strike beyond its borders. The question is no longer whether this spreads - it already has. The question is how far Trump lets it run, and what Iran hits next.