{"id":6558,"date":"2026-02-27T14:39:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6558"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:39:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:39:30","slug":"us-authorizes-non-essential-embassy-workers-to-leave-israel-amid-iran-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6558","title":{"rendered":"US authorizes non-essential embassy workers to leave Israel amid Iran tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"featured featured-video video-ct\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\"><!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"contain\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\">  <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"info\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\">\n<div class=\"caption\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\">\n<h4 class=\"title\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6390056514112\" data-v-324c3b57=\"\">Deadline looms for Iran-US nuclear deal<\/a><\/h4>\n<p data-v-324c3b57=\"\">U.S.-Iran nuclear talks intensify in Switzerland as President Trump&#8217;s deadline approaches. Vice President JD Vance states there&#8217;s &#8216;no chance&#8217; of endless war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"speakable\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/foreign-policy\/state-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">State Department<\/a> is allowing non-essential personnel working at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to leave Israel ahead of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/us-navy-reduces-staff-mission-critical-levels-bahrain-ahead-potential-strikes-iran-officials\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">possible strikes on Iran<\/a>. The embassy announced the decision early Friday morning and said that &#8220;in response to security incidents and without advance notice&#8221; it could place further restrictions on where U.S. government employees can travel within Israel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">The decision came after meetings and phone calls through the night Thursday into Friday, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/27\/world\/middleeast\/us-embassy-jerusalem-authorized-departure.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The New York Times<\/a>, which reviewed a copy of an email that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sent to embassy workers.<\/p>\n<p>The Times reported that the ambassador said in his email that the move was a result of &#8220;an abundance of caution&#8221; and that those wishing to leave &#8220;should do so TODAY.&#8221; He reportedly urged them to look for flights out of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/travel\/general\/airlines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ben Gurion Airport<\/a> to any destination, cautioning that the embassy&#8217;s move &#8220;will likely result in high demand for airline seats today.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/343\/192\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/686\/384\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/672\/378\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1344\/756\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/931\/523\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1862\/1046\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/720\/405\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1440\/810\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1200\/675\/donald-trump-ali-khamenei-us-iran-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Donald Trump and Ali Khamenei in a split image\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>The U.S. has authorized non-essential embassy personnel to leave Israel amid escalating tensions with Iran.<\/span> <span>(Al Drago\/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Iranian Leader Press Office\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the email, Huckabee also said that there was &#8220;no need to panic,&#8221; but he underscored that those looking to leave should &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/travel\/general\/travel-safety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">make plans to depart<\/a> sooner rather than later,&#8221; the Times reported.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Focus on getting a seat to anyplace from which you can then continue travel to D.C., but the first priority will be getting expeditiously out of country,&#8221; Huckabee said in the email, according to the Times.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/343\/192\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/686\/384\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/672\/378\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1344\/756\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/931\/523\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1862\/1046\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/720\/405\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1440\/810\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1200\/675\/mike-huckabee-hearing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Mike Huckabee testifies at his confirmation hearing to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s nominee to be ambassador to Israel, arrives to testify during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Mar. 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C.<\/span> <span>(Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/trump-meets-netanyahu-says-he-wants-iran-deal-reminds-tehran-midnight-hammer-operation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF \u2018MIDNIGHT HAMMER\u2019 OPERATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/il.usembassy.gov\/travel-advisory-february-27-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The embassy<\/a> reiterated the State Department&#8217;s advisory for U.S. citizens to reconsider traveling to Israel and the West Bank &#8220;due to terrorism and civil unrest.&#8221; Additionally, the department advised that U.S. citizens not travel to Gaza because of terrorism and armed conflict, as well as northern Israel, particularly within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders because of &#8220;continued military presence and activity.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It also recommended that U.S. citizens not travel within 1.5 miles of the Egyptian border, with the exception of the Taba crossing, which remains open.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets\/shopping malls, and local government facilities,&#8221; the embassy said in its warning. &#8220;The security environment is complex and can change quickly, and violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/343\/192\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/686\/384\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/672\/378\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1344\/756\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/931\/523\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1862\/1046\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/720\/405\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1440\/810\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1200\/675\/us-embassy-jerusalem-israel.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Israeli and U.S. flags are placed on the road leading to the U.S. consulate in the Jewish neighborhood of Arnona, on the East-West Jerusalem line in Jerusalem, May 9, 2018.<\/span> <span>(Corinna Kern\/picture alliance via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While the embassy did not specifically mention Iran in its warning, it referenced &#8220;increased regional tensions&#8221; that could &#8220;cause airlines to cancel and\/or curtail flights into and out of Israel.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department and the White House for comment on this matter.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <\/p>\n<section data-fetch-key=\"RelatedArticle:0\" class=\"related-article\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"component-title\">Related Article<\/h3>\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<div class=\"m\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/irans-shadowy-chemical-weapons-program-draws-scrutiny-reports-allege-use-against-protesters\" data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_world_article_article-content_related-article_1_1_media\"><picture><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/234\/132\/ballistic-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Iran\u2019s shadowy chemical weapons program draws scrutiny as reports allege use against protesters\" width=\"117\" height=\"66\"\/><\/picture><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/state-dept-authorizes-non-essential-us-embassy-personnel-jerusalem-depart-ahead-possible-iran-strikes\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deadline looms for Iran-US nuclear deal U.S.-Iran nuclear talks intensify in Switzerland as President Trump&#8217;s deadline approaches. Vice President JD Vance states there&#8217;s &#8216;no chance&#8217; of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}