Iraq’s Leave Now Warning Stays Brutal

What the embassy is saying

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad renewed its April 20 “Leave Now” warning and it’s blunt: U.S. citizens should get out immediately. Iraq is still at Level 4: don't Travel, with threats from Iran-aligned militias, drone and missile attacks, kidnapping and shaky consular support.

The risk isn’t theoretical. Militias have targeted U.S. interests before and officials say they may hit diplomatic sites, hotels, airports, energy facilities and civilian areas in Baghdad and beyond, which, weirdly, makes almost any normal travel plan feel exposed.

Who’s most exposed

Tourists, expats, digital nomads and business travelers all face the same ugly math. If you’re near U.S.-linked sites, working remotely in Iraq or moving through Baghdad, you’re in a much worse spot, honestly, than the average alert might suggest.

Airports and borders are part of the problem too. Commercial flights have been unreliable, overland exits can stall at Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Türkiye and Iraqi Kurdistan isn’t a clean workaround when airspace disruptions keep shifting.

What to do now

If you’re in Iraq, leave by the safest private route you can arrange and don’t wait for embassy help. Routine consular services are still suspended, so the embassy and the consulate in Erbil aren’t set up for normal traveler support right now.

Keep your security plan tight, avoid U.S. government facilities and watch for sudden changes in airspace or border access, because the threat picture can turn fast. Read our full Iraq guide for the complete picture and check visa updates before you move.