Kake: Thousands of Americans Stranded as State Department Urges “DEPART NOW” Across Middle East
Kake is now at the center of urgent questions facing Americans stuck across parts of the Middle East as the U. S. and Israel’s air war against Iran triggers retaliatory drone attacks. In Washington, Democratic lawmakers and current and former State Department officials are criticizing the Trump administration over what they describe as predictable fallout and slow, unclear assistance. As of Wednesday, 11: 59 PM ET, U. S. officials say evacuation efforts are underway, even as travelers describe closed airports, conflicting guidance, and overwhelmed embassy lines.
Fast-moving warnings collide with disrupted travel
In the days after the air campaign began, the U. S. Department of State issued new travel advisories telling Americans to reconsider travel to multiple countries in the region, while a separate message from Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, U. S. Department of State, urged U. S. citizens to “DEPART NOW” using available commercial transportation “due to serious safety risks. ” The “DEPART NOW” message applied to more than a dozen places, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
For Americans already in the region, the core problem described by officials and lawmakers is practical: people are being told to leave while commercial traffic is interrupted and, in some locations, airports are closed. Some U. S. citizens in Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have received conflicting instructions—told to evacuate quickly in some instances, but also directed to contact U. S. embassies for help, where they encountered busy signals or staff unable to offer assistance.
Strikes, embassy incidents, and rising pressure on Washington
Over the past few days, several U. S. diplomatic sites in the region have been affected by escalating threats and attacks. The U. S. Embassy in Jordan was evacuated because of the threat of an attack. The U. S. Embassy compound in Kuwait was struck by a drone. The U. S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia caught fire after being hit by two Iranian drones. A drone attack also set a parking lot ablaze outside the U. S. Consulate in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
At least six American service members have been killed since the U. S. and Israel attacked Iran, while officials have said there have been no reports of American civilian casualties.
In Congress, dozens of Democrats wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing that “the lack of clear preparation, planning, and communication to Americans abroad is unacceptable and a violation of the State Department’s basic mission to provide consular assistance and the protection of U. S. citizens overseas. ” A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, said: “You would have had far fewer people in harm’s way. ”
Immediate reactions: Rubio, Trump, Leavitt, and Namdar
President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday, “It happened all very quickly, ” as U. S. officials struggled to explain why the government was not better prepared for the consequences of Iranian retaliation and what messages to deliver to Americans in the area.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back Wednesday, saying: “There were many signs put out by the State Department. ” Leavitt added that Rubio issued Level 4 travel advisories dating back to January for many countries in the region—warnings that amount to “do not travel. ” A handful of countries carried that designation before the war, including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar publicly urged Americans to “DEPART NOW” and also directed those needing help arranging commercial departure to call a State Department number. In the middle of the mounting confusion, Kake has become shorthand among anxious travelers and officials for the gap between urgent guidance and the ability to act on it in real time.
Quick context: advisories expanded after the air campaign began
After the air campaign was launched over the weekend, the State Department issued Level 3 “reconsider travel” advisories for at least seven countries: Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Cyprus. Iran has retaliated with drone attacks on U. S. facilities, escalating pressure on diplomatic and military posture across the region.
What’s next for Americans trying to get out
The U. S. Department of Defense said the military planned to aid evacuation efforts with C-17 cargo planes, while State Department they are arranging charter flights to extract Americans from the war zone. Late Wednesday, the State Department said one such flight had departed the Middle East and was en route to the United States.
As of Wednesday, 11: 59 PM ET, the next test will be whether charter flights and military assistance can keep pace with demand, while guidance becomes consistent across embassies and travel advisories. For families tracking loved ones overseas, Kake remains the urgent, unresolved question: how quickly official warnings can translate into seats on planes, clear instructions, and a safe route home.
