US Evacuates Diplomats and Shuts Down Embassies as Iran War Enters Fourth Day

The United States has evacuated diplomatic personnel and shut down embassy operations across multiple countries in the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its fourth day, NPR reports — a measure that signals Washington is preparing for a prolonged and widening conflict rather than the quick, decisive strike the administration initially portrayed. The closures extend beyond the immediate theater of war, affecting American diplomatic presence in countries that are not direct parties to the conflict but face growing security risks from Iranian retaliation. The embassy shutdowns, combined with the drone strike on the Riyadh embassy and the continuing Iranian missile campaign across Gulf states, paint a picture of a conflict that is spreading geographically faster than the military campaign can contain it.