The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has announced an "authorized departure" for non-emergency government personnel and their family members, allowing those affected to elect to leave Israel over unspecified safety concerns. The embassy did not provide further detail on the particular hazards prompting the decision.
Officials framed the move as distinct from a full ordered departure. Under the authorized departure designation, eligible staff and their dependents may choose whether to leave the country rather than being required to do so. The notice is less sweeping than the ordered departure that was implemented earlier this week for some personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
The decision comes amid growing apprehension about the possibility of military escalation involving Iran. The United States has assembled what officials describe as one of its largest military deployments in the Middle East while it presses negotiations with Iran over the countrys nuclear programme. The most recent round of those talks ended on Thursday without any visible breakthrough, according to the embassy statement.
Tehran has publicly warned that it could target American bases in the region if it is attacked, and officials warn that a widening confrontation could draw in Israel. The two countries engaged in a 12-day conflict in June, a fact cited in the embassys context for heightened concern.
In response to the rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, several countries have started withdrawing dependents of diplomatic staff and non-essential personnel from some locations in the Middle East, or have advised their citizens against travel to Iran. The authorized departure for U.S. embassy staff in Israel is the latest instance of such measures intended to reduce exposure to potential security threats.
The embassys notice leaves the choice to affected individuals and does not mandate evacuation, but it signals a cautious posture amid uncertain regional dynamics while negotiations remain stalled.
Contextual note: The embassy did not elaborate on the specific safety risks underlying the authorized departure, and the wider diplomatic and military developments cited in the notice remain subject to change.