The United States has granted permission to some of its embassy employees in Israel, as well as their family members, to leave the country due to growing concerns about a military escalation with Iran. This was announced by the US Embassy in Jerusalem, quoted by Reuters, reports News.bg.
The measure is the so-called “authorized departure“, which allows employees who do not perform critical functions to decide for themselves whether to stay or withdraw. The diplomatic mission did not specify the specific security risks that led to the move.
This decision is more moderate than the “mandatory departure“ imposed earlier this week for some staff at the US embassy in Beirut.
The development comes against the backdrop of a strengthened US military presence in the Middle East and ongoing negotiations with Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. The latest round of talks ended on Thursday without any visible progress.
Tehran has warned that it will attack US bases in the region if it is the target of a military strike. Such an escalation could also involve Israel. The two countries already came into direct military conflict earlier this year in a 12-day conflict.
Amid heightened tensions, other countries have begun withdrawing family members of their diplomatic staff and non-essential personnel from certain locations in the Middle East, as well as advising their citizens to avoid travel to Iran.