New Delhi, March 3 -- The US State Department is urging Americans to leave the Middle East as the conflict in Iran widens, thereby plunging the region into a deeper military confrontation. The conflict, which began on 28 February after the United States and Israel launched strikes targeting key military and naval sites across Tehran, has now entered its fourth day, with no end in sight so far.

Amidst the ongoing conflict, the US has shut its embassies across the Middle East and urged its citizens present in the region to take shelter. On Monday (local time), Americans were urged to "depart now" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates...