US asks citizens to 'consider leaving ME' as Trump vows to hit Iran

The US Department of State has advised American citizens to consider departing the Middle East or prepare to leave if the security situation deteriorates, following US President Donald Trump's vow to hit Iran "very hard" amid escalating regional hostilities involving drone strikes in Kuwait and fresh shipping incidents near the Strait of Hormuz, reported ANI.

The expanding conflict also reached Gaza and Lebanon, where Israeli forces carried out new strikes despite Hamas declaring its readiness to disarm under a US-backed ceasefire framework.

Addressing reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat, Trump indicated that Washington was prepared for an extended military campaign against Iran.

"We just want to win," Trump said, adding that the US would hit Iran "very hard" until "they can't take it anymore."

Hours later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Tehran of breaching last month's memorandum of understanding that had temporarily halted hostilities.

"Iran signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States and then broke it, fired at commercial ships and killed American soldiers," Leavitt said.

"President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behaviour to occur."

She stated that Iran would continue to "pay" until it returned to negotiations "in what President Trump deems a meaningful way."

Kuwait's armed forces stated they intercepted and destroyed hostile drones entering the nation's airspace from dawn, characterising the action as an Iranian attack aimed at vital infrastructure.

According to military authorities, a government facility in northern Kuwait and private company property on Bubiyan Island were struck. Falling debris caused structural damage, though no casualties were reported.

Earlier, the Defence Ministry had stated that drones struck "a number of vital facilities", including a government building in the northern region.

The latest strike occurred days after Iran expanded retaliatory actions against US Gulf partners following renewed American bombardments.

Commercial shipping in the region remained under severe threat. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile approximately 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman, resulting in engine room damage.

In a separate development, another tanker reported a large splash and an explosion about 21 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman. No casualties were reported.

The incidents highlight growing anxieties regarding the stability of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime transit corridor for roughly 20 per cent of global petroleum supplies.

As hostilities deepened, the US State Department issued a security advisory warning American citizens that the regional security conditions remained "complex" and could worsen rapidly.

The advisory urged Americans in the region to exercise extreme caution and prepare for potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.

"Americans currently in the Middle East should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation," the advisory said.

It further recommended that Americans outside the region reconsider travel to or through the Middle East.

The State Department warned that Iran and its regional proxies could target US diplomatic facilities, businesses and institutions globally, observing that Tehran had recently widened its attacks to nations "not previously targeted, such as Egypt."

US citizens were instructed to avoid public demonstrations, monitor regional reporting, remain alert near American-linked sites, maintain emergency contingency plans, and register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for real-time safety alerts.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate General in Dubai remain under ordered departure status, with non-essential personnel relocated outside the United Arab Emirates.

Iran names Saudi, UAE, Qatar and Israeli energy sites as targets

Iran has issued a threat of retaliation following reports indicating that US President Donald Trump is considering launching attacks against Iranian energy infrastructure, according to Iran's state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, said ANI.

The news agency reported that Tehran has devised a comprehensive blueprint to target crucial energy facilities across the Middle East should the United States or Israel carry out fresh strikes.

The warning comes as a US official told Axios that Trump is seriously contemplating strikes on Iranian energy targets, though no final decision has been taken.

As per Tasnim News, the Iranian plan is designed to disrupt the oil and gas infrastructure of the Middle East if new attacks are carried out by the US or Israel.

The reported target list features Saudi Arabia's Ghawar oil field, which accounts for over 5 per cent of global oil supply, alongside the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which produce more than 7 million barrels of oil per day.

In the United Arab Emirates, the facilities named in the report include the Zakum oil field and the Ruways refinery, which has a processing capacity of over one million barrels per day.

Iran's reported list also encompasses Qatar's North Field and Ras Laffan, which together account for approximately 20 per cent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

Other sites cited in the report include Kuwait's Burgan oil field, which produces roughly two million barrels per day, Bahrain's Sitrah refinery and Al-Mihaj, as well as Israel's Leviathan and Tamar gas fields.

A senior Iranian security official, quoted by Tasnim News, said, "We have prepared a comprehensive plan to respond to any potential American recklessness."

The official additionally cited the 40-day war, claiming that Iran had bombed Qatar's most vital gas refinery and asserting that Trump later apologised on Truth Social.