Anxiety is mounting among Kenyan families after Washington directed its nationals to leave multiple Middle Eastern countries without delay, citing rapidly deteriorating security conditions. The sudden evacuation order has triggered fresh fears for thousands of Kenyans employed across the Gulf region, many of whom work in domestic service, construction, healthcare, and hospitality.
In a notice published on X on March 3, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar announced that, on the instruction of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Americans should immediately exit several countries in the region. The advisory listed nations including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel (including the West Bank and Gaza), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Citizens were urged to rely on available commercial flights due to what officials described as “serious safety risks.”
The directive followed an intense exchange of military strikes between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Reports indicate that coordinated operations targeted high-level Iranian leadership and strategic facilities in Tehran, leading to significant casualties. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Israeli territory and U.S. military installations across the Gulf.
Casualty figures continue to rise, with Iranian authorities reporting hundreds dead and injured. U.S. Central Command confirmed fatalities among American service members, while Israel has also acknowledged losses.
Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions have spilled into the media sphere. Qatar rejected claims published by Bloomberg suggesting its Patriot missile interceptors were depleted, dismissing the report as inaccurate.
Amid the worsening crisis, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised Kenyans in affected countries to exercise extreme caution. Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu called on nationals to register with embassies for support, while Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi urged restraint and dialogue under international law frameworks.