US Embassy in Israel to close from Wednesday to Friday
The U.S. Embassy in Israel will be closed from Wednesday to Friday because of the ongoing “security situation” in the region, the State Department announced Tuesday.
“Given the security situation and in compliance with Israel Home Front Command guidance, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, June 18) through Friday (June 20),” the State Department said in a post on X.
The State Department said that the closures include the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The closures also include emergency passport services and Consular Report of Birth Abroad services.
The State Department said, at this time, there is no new information to share about assistance for U.S. citizens wishing to depart from Israel. There are no commercial or charter flights operating from the country’s main international airport.
“The Department of State is always planning for contingencies to assist with private U.S. citizens’ departure from crisis areas. We will alert the U.S. citizen community if there is additional information to share regarding departure options,” the State Department said in a statement.
The State Department said it is “aware” of third parties helping U.S. citizens depart Israel, adding, “While we are not able to endorse any providers, we understand some have been able to successfully help U.S. citizens.”
The announcement comes a day after the U.S. Embassy branch in Tel Aviv suffered some minor damage after an Iranian missile struck a nearby area. There were no injuries.
It also comes as the U.S. military positions itself to potentially join Israel’s fight, as President Trump weighs direct action against Tehran to deal a permanent blow to its nuclear program.