The U.S., UK, France, Germany, Canada, and other countries are ramping up their evacuation operations and preparations in the region but continue to deal with disruptions. An Air France plane heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to pick up stranded French citizens was forced to turn back amid Iranian missile fire. The U.S. claims to have moved nearly 20,000 people out of the region. The UK, France, and Germany are preparing to possibly evacuate 100,000, 400,000, and 30,000 citizens, respectively.
Airspace remains closed in much of the region; however, commercial flights out of the UAE are gradually coming back online as the country operates a reduced flight schedule, with departures occurring only when deemed safe amid ongoing Iranian missile and drone attacks. In the past 24 hours, approximately 400 commercial flights (previously cancelled services and repatriation flights) have taken place.
Separately, energy prices are elevated as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, said in an interview with the Financial Times that crude oil prices could surge to $150 per barrel within the next two to three weeks if the current regional conflict persists.
ONGOING RECOMMENDATIONS
- As the conflict may go on for up to eight weeks, conditions could deteriorate in impacted areas due to supply chain and power disruptions should Iran target power plants and desalinization plants.
- Visitors should continue to try to leave the region. Residents should consider the possibility of deteriorating conditions and plan accordingly, whether that is stocking up on food and water or leaving the region depending on personal risk tolerance.
- Continue to abide by local guidance and monitor for alerts regarding shelter-in-place orders.
- If in Israel, remain near bomb shelters and take immediate action at the sound of sirens.
- Be prepared for ongoing major airspace disruptions.
- Avoid proximity to U.S. (and Israeli) diplomatic missions in Europe and the Middle East.
- For those considering evacuation, Global Guardian recommends checking visa requirements and applying for relevant visas as soon as possible.
SITUATION REPORT
- UK police arrested four men under the National Security Act for assisting Iranian intelligence and surveilling Jewish locations in London.
- Operations at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City have been suspended, according to the State Department. This followed a "complex missile and drone attack" targeting Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, the primary hub for U.S. forces in the country. Footage showed massive fires at the base.
- Two tankers came under attack in the Persian Gulf, including a Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker that was hit by an Iranian unmanned surface vehicle while anchored near Iraq’s Khor Al Zubair port, and a tanker anchored off Kuwait was hit by an unknown type of munition.
- Multiple European oil companies have evacuated foreign staff from projects in southern Iraq.
- U.S. President Trump said he supports Kurdish forces launching an offensive against Iran, though he declined to confirm if the U.S. would support them with air support.
- U.S. President Trump called on Iranian diplomats at embassies around the world to defect and seek asylum and reiterated to IRGC commanders to step down–offering immunity or death.
- Two hotels and a residential building were struck in Manama, Bahrain.
- U.S. CENTCOM announced it had destroyed an Iranian drone carrier ship roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier.
- U.S. B-2 bombers dropped GBU-57 penetrator bombs on the Damavand missile base east of Tehran where missile launcher infrastructure is maintained, further degrading Iran's ability to fire ballistic missiles.
- Iran's daily count for missile and drone attacks continues to drop, though the IRGC announced it has yet to deploy many of its newest weapons systems at scale and would do so in the coming days.
- Regional U.S. Embassy Updates:
- Kuwait: Embassy suspended all operations and ordered the evacuation of the embassy.
STANDING BY TO Support
Global Guardian is closely monitoring the situation and can support clients who need assistance with the following:
- Evacuation planning and execution
- Executive protection
- Secure transportation
- Emergency response
- Intelligence reports
- Risk assessments
Click below to contact Global Guardian's 24/7 Operations Center or call us directly at +1 (703) 566-9463.
