U.S. touts number of barrels of oil escorted through Strait by U.S. military
The U.S. military has escorted one billion barrels of oil and over 2,000 commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf in the last couple of months, the Pentagon said.
Updated on: September 19, 2026 / 8:43 PM EDT / CBS News
U.S. embassies across Middle East issue security alerts for Americans amid "potential for unforeseen escalation" in conflict
U.S. embassies across the Middle East early Sunday morning local time issued security alerts for American citizens in the region.
"Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation," the State Department said in its alerts.
The alerts did not state a specific threat, but called for Americans to "exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions."
They cited the recent fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, noting that the "military conflict" between the two sides "has the potential to escalate rapidly."