Bhubaneswar, March 3 -- The United States has issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens to "depart now" from more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries amid escalating regional tensions following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

In a video message posted on X, Marco Rubio urged Americans in the region to prioritise their safety. "To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority," he said, advising them to enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and monitor updates from US missions.

The advisory, updated on March 2 at 4 pm EST, applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, t...