Washington is restoring staffing at several Middle East missions after personnel were evacuated during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
WEB DESK: The United States has begun sending diplomatic personnel back to several missions in the Middle East after earlier evacuations and staffing reductions linked to tensions with Iran, according to Reuters.
The return of personnel is expected to begin as early as this week and includes US diplomatic posts in Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad, Iraq, according to two people familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.
Family members of US diplomatic personnel will also be allowed to return to the US mission in Riyadh, the sources said.
US adjusts diplomatic staffing levels
The move indicates that Washington considers the immediate risk of further escalation in the region to have eased enough to permit a gradual restoration of diplomatic operations.
However, the US is not immediately returning every mission to full staffing.
Some embassies will initially operate at no more than 85% of their authorised staffing levels, according to the Reuters report. The reduced staffing reflects continuing security concerns across the region.
A US State Department spokesperson told Reuters that the department regularly reviews the security situation at its diplomatic missions worldwide.
The department is adjusting staffing levels at selected Middle East posts based on its latest security assessment while seeking to maintain US foreign-policy operations and protect diplomatic personnel.
Diplomatic evacuations followed Iran conflict
The United States withdrew diplomatic personnel from several Middle East missions after joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran began on February 28.
The conflict triggered a wider regional security crisis, with some US diplomatic facilities and military installations coming under threat.
According to Reuters, some US embassies in Gulf Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, came under fire from Iran during the conflict. Kuwait temporarily closed its embassy-related operations amid the heightened security situation.
The subsequent reduction in fighting has allowed Washington to reassess its diplomatic presence, although major security concerns remain.
Staffing plans vary across missions
The New York Times previously reported that the United States was preparing to ease some emergency measures and increase staffing at additional missions in the region.
According to that report, US diplomatic missions in Israel, Jordan and Oman were expected eventually to return to full staffing.
Missions in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Lebanon were expected to initially operate at up to 85% of authorised staffing, while posts in Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain would remain capped at 75%, the newspaper reported.
These staffing levels remain subject to security assessments and could change depending on developments across the region.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern
The diplomatic adjustments come as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a broader confrontation.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, remains at the centre of the crisis. Heavy fighting has subsided, but a US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues, while diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict remain stalled, according to Reuters.
The security situation around the waterway remains particularly important for Gulf states and international energy markets.
What the move means
The gradual return of US diplomatic personnel does not necessarily indicate that Washington considers the Middle East security situation fully resolved.
Instead, the move reflects a reassessment of the risks facing American diplomatic missions after months of heightened tensions.
Restoring diplomatic staff could allow US embassies to expand consular services, strengthen engagement with host governments and support Washington’s diplomatic efforts across the region.
At the same time, the decision to maintain reduced staffing at several posts demonstrates that US officials continue to view the security environment as volatile.
