US Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, closed: Services in Tel Aviv unavailable as Middle East war fears grow
The US Embassy in Israel has told its government staff to 'shelter in place', closing down Jerusalem and Tel Aviv services due to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.
'As a result of the current security situation and ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the US Embassy has directed that all US government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice,' the Embassy said in a statement.
'Given the security situation and in compliance with Israel Home Front Command guidance, the US Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, June 18) through Friday (June 20).
'This includes the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There will be no passport (emergency or regular) or Consular Report of Birth Abroad services.'
The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump met with national security advisers in the White House Situation Room on Tuesday after returning from the G7 summit early.
Both US and Israeli media have also reported that Mr Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the Situation Room meeting.
The US Embassy said it had 'no announcements' on assisting private US citizens in Israel.
The main airport in Israel, Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, is closed.
The advice from the US Government, which echoed advice from the Chinese Embassy in Israel a day prior, was to head towards Jordan land crossings
The Australian Government updated it's advice for Israel to 'do not travel' on June 15.
Like other governments, no plans to rescue stranded citizens have been announced.
Mr Trump on Tuesday demanded Iran 'surrender' as more missiles were fired.
Following his demand, Iran's Supreme Leader issued a chilling messaging, saying: 'the battle begins'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
30 minutes ago
- News.com.au
US politics live: MAGA civil war erupts amid confusion over extent of Iran's nuclear program
Welcome back to our live coverage of politics in the United States. Tuesday is over on the other side of the Atlantic and most of America is asleep, but you can read on for a rundown of how the day went. If you're after more focused news on the events in the Middle East, follow this link. Today the White House issued a furious statement, calling a former CNN reporter a 'disgusting human being' over a remark he made about Donald Trump's deceased ex-wife Ivana. Jim Acosta joked about the fact that Ivana, who died in 2022, was buried on one of Mr Trump's golf courses. It came as he was making the point that Mr Trump's raids cracking down on undocumented immigrants do not appear to be affecting his own properties. 'Where are the ICE raids at the Trump properties?' Mr Acosta wondered. 'Could somebody call ICE on the Trump golf course in Virginia? You're telling me there's nobody in there that is undocumented or has some kind of squirreliness going on with their paperwork? Give me a break. 'How many immigrants has he married? He's got one buried at his golf course in New Jersey! Isn't she buried by the first hole, or the second tee, or something like that?' In a curt statement to Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: 'Jim Acosta is a disgraceful human being.'
Sydney Morning Herald
40 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Mapping the Israel-Iran conflict: Where key nuclear sites, targets and United States military bases lie
Establishing the extent of the damage to key Iranian nuclear sites is challenging not just due to the repeated Israeli strikes targeting them, but also because both sides are supplying contrasting assessments on the success of the Israeli operation. Loading South of Tehran lies the Natanz nuclear facility, a complex at the heart of Iran's enrichment program that houses facilities including two enrichment plants: the underground Fuel Enrichment Plant and above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. The Fordow enrichment facility is also south of Tehran, and is notably underground, making it harder to successfully hit. Further south, on the outskirts of Isfahan, Iran's second-largest city, is a large nuclear technology centre that includes the Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant and uranium conversion and storage facilities. On the Gulf Coast is the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is Iran's only operating nuclear power plant and uses Russian fuel that Russia takes back once it is spent. Further north, in addition to Tehran's nuclear research reactor, is the partially built heavy-water research reactor in Khondab, which Iran previously informed the International Atomic Energy Agency it had planned to start operating in 2026. Why is Iran's Fordow nuclear base a target? Dug deep into a mountain near Qom is the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is one of Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear sites, built in secrecy and designed for survivability. Loading It was exposed through Western intelligence in 2009, and its capacity to enrich uranium levels close to weapons-grade is what alarms the superpowers and makes it critical to Iran's nuclear program. In 2023, according to the IAEA, uranium enriched to a purity of 83.7 per cent was found at Fordow. Nuclear weapons need an enrichment level of 90 per cent. The fact that Fordow was designed as a fallback facility should other nuclear sites be compromised makes it a key stronghold for Iran, and a prime target for Israel – but it's understood Israel would be hard-pressed to destroy it without help from the US. Why does Israel need the United States' assistance to target Fordow? Fordow's underground nuclear facilities are understood to be 80 to 90 metres beneath the mountain's surface. It's impenetrable, even if Israel used the most advanced 'bunker buster' bombs in its arsenal for targeted aerial strikes. The 13,608-kilogram GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) is thought to be the only 'bunker buster' bomb that could reach the core buried below Fordow's surface, though that would still be likely to require multiple strikes. Loading Capable of burrowing through 60 metres of steel and rock before detonating, it was developed by the United States and is its largest non-nuclear bomb. Israel has requested it from the US, and the request has been denied multiple times. Only a B2 Stealth Bomber could carry the bomb due to its sheer size. How large is the United States' military presence in the Middle East? Iran has said it would target the United States' military bases in the Middle East should Trump enter the conflict on Israel's side in earnest. The United States has a significant military presence in the Middle East, with, per the Council on Foreign Relations, a broad network of sites spanning at least 19 locations, eight of which are permanent. Loading The permanent United States sites are understood to be in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Since October 7, 2023, several attacks purportedly by Iran-backed forces have occurred. Notably, in January 2024, three American soldiers were killed after a drone hit the Tower 22 military base in Jordan, near the Syrian border.
The Age
40 minutes ago
- The Age
Mapping the Israel-Iran conflict: Where key nuclear sites, targets and United States military bases lie
Establishing the extent of the damage to key Iranian nuclear sites is challenging not just due to the repeated Israeli strikes targeting them, but also because both sides are supplying contrasting assessments on the success of the Israeli operation. Loading South of Tehran lies the Natanz nuclear facility, a complex at the heart of Iran's enrichment program that houses facilities including two enrichment plants: the underground Fuel Enrichment Plant and above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. The Fordow enrichment facility is also south of Tehran, and is notably underground, making it harder to successfully hit. Further south, on the outskirts of Isfahan, Iran's second-largest city, is a large nuclear technology centre that includes the Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant and uranium conversion and storage facilities. On the Gulf Coast is the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is Iran's only operating nuclear power plant and uses Russian fuel that Russia takes back once it is spent. Further north, in addition to Tehran's nuclear research reactor, is the partially built heavy-water research reactor in Khondab, which Iran previously informed the International Atomic Energy Agency it had planned to start operating in 2026. Why is Iran's Fordow nuclear base a target? Dug deep into a mountain near Qom is the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is one of Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear sites, built in secrecy and designed for survivability. Loading It was exposed through Western intelligence in 2009, and its capacity to enrich uranium levels close to weapons-grade is what alarms the superpowers and makes it critical to Iran's nuclear program. In 2023, according to the IAEA, uranium enriched to a purity of 83.7 per cent was found at Fordow. Nuclear weapons need an enrichment level of 90 per cent. The fact that Fordow was designed as a fallback facility should other nuclear sites be compromised makes it a key stronghold for Iran, and a prime target for Israel – but it's understood Israel would be hard-pressed to destroy it without help from the US. Why does Israel need the United States' assistance to target Fordow? Fordow's underground nuclear facilities are understood to be 80 to 90 metres beneath the mountain's surface. It's impenetrable, even if Israel used the most advanced 'bunker buster' bombs in its arsenal for targeted aerial strikes. The 13,608-kilogram GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) is thought to be the only 'bunker buster' bomb that could reach the core buried below Fordow's surface, though that would still be likely to require multiple strikes. Loading Capable of burrowing through 60 metres of steel and rock before detonating, it was developed by the United States and is its largest non-nuclear bomb. Israel has requested it from the US, and the request has been denied multiple times. Only a B2 Stealth Bomber could carry the bomb due to its sheer size. How large is the United States' military presence in the Middle East? Iran has said it would target the United States' military bases in the Middle East should Trump enter the conflict on Israel's side in earnest. The United States has a significant military presence in the Middle East, with, per the Council on Foreign Relations, a broad network of sites spanning at least 19 locations, eight of which are permanent. Loading The permanent United States sites are understood to be in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Since October 7, 2023, several attacks purportedly by Iran-backed forces have occurred. Notably, in January 2024, three American soldiers were killed after a drone hit the Tower 22 military base in Jordan, near the Syrian border.
