US closing its embassy in Israel amid rising tensions

WASHINGTON

The US Embassy in Israel will be closed from Wednesday through Friday "given the security situation," the State Department said Tuesday.

"This includes the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv," it said on X.

The embassy also directed all US government employees and their family members to continue to shelter in place in and near their residences "until further notice."

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.