Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed efforts to ease tensions in the Middle East on Saturday, as the United States warned its citizens of the risk of an “unexpected escalation” and urged those in the region to consider leaving or prepare to do so.
According to the Egyptian presidency, Al-Sisi and Macron stressed during a telephone call that regional disputes should be resolved through peaceful means to safeguard security and stability. The two leaders also agreed to maintain close political coordination between Cairo and Paris in support of de-escalation efforts.
The call came amid intensified regional diplomacy. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed the latest developments with his Kuwaiti and Turkish counterparts, stressing the need to support diplomatic initiatives, contain the crisis and protect freedom of navigation.
Meanwhile, US diplomatic missions in Amman, Jerusalem and Baghdad issued security alerts warning American citizens that the situation could deteriorate without warning. The US State Department advised Americans in the Middle East to remain vigilant and prepare for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and broader travel disruptions.
It also urged US citizens outside the region to reconsider travel to the Middle East and warned that Iran and groups aligned with it could target US interests, citizens, companies or institutions worldwide.
The US embassy in Amman separately advised American citizens to avoid travel to military bases in Jordan and to follow instructions issued by local authorities, including air-raid warnings.
The warnings followed fresh drone attacks on Kuwait. Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence said its forces detected and intercepted hostile drones within the country’s airspace after attacks targeted a government facility in the north and civilian vehicles belonging to a company on Bubiyan Island. The strikes caused material damage but no casualties, according to officials.
Kuwait condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of international law, the U.N. Charter and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2817, adding that it reserved the right to take all necessary measures to defend its security and national interests.
Jordan, Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned the attacks and expressed full solidarity with Kuwait. Bahrain called for an immediate end to Iranian attacks and threats against maritime navigation.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, threatened to tighten restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and other strategic waterways if the United States continued its military escalation and naval blockade.
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said continued US actions could lead to the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and other strategic maritime passages, warning that the global economy, energy markets and US voters would bear the consequences.
The commander of Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya operational headquarters also warned that the conflict could spread across the region, saying any country cooperating with Washington risked becoming involved in the war.
His remarks coincided with two separate incidents involving oil tankers off Oman’s coast, further heightening concerns over maritime security along one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his ministry would continue pursuing Iran’s national interests under the guidance of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, while describing the media arena as another front in the broader confrontation with the United States and Israel.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, meanwhile, called for intensified international efforts to restore regional stability, stressing that his country would continue taking all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and its citizens.
