The United States has ordered non-essential consular staff to leave Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan due to rising regional security risks linked to the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, according to the US State Department.
The United States embassy in Pakistan said on Wednesday that non-emergency US government employees and family members assigned to the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore have been directed to depart the country because of “safety risks”.
The embassy clarified that the directive does not affect operations at the United States embassy in Islamabad, which continues to function normally.
The precautionary move comes as tensions across the Middle East intensify following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliatory actions across the region.
In addition to Pakistan, the US State Department has authorised non-essential government personnel and their family members to voluntarily depart diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Cyprus due to evolving security conditions.
The decision reflects growing regional instability after Iran expanded its missile and drone response following the strikes launched by the United States and Israel earlier this week.
According to US officials, Iran has targeted several locations across the Middle East in retaliation, including a United States consulate and a military facility, further heightening geopolitical tensions.
The State Department said it has also taken measures to assist American citizens who wish to leave the region during the ongoing crisis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the department said more than 9,000 United States citizens have safely returned home from the Middle East in recent days, including over 300 people evacuated from Israel.
The conflict escalated after United States and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets on Saturday. The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two days after diplomatic discussions between US envoys and Iranian officials in Geneva regarding a potential nuclear agreement.
Since then, Iran has launched multiple missile and drone attacks across the region, while the United States and Israel have continued military operations targeting strategic locations in Tehran.
Security analysts say the rapidly evolving crisis could have wider implications for regional stability, diplomatic missions and global energy markets as tensions spread across the Middle East.
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