Live updates: Iran combat operations continue

Operations in Iran continued Tuesday, expected to go on for weeks after the surprise attack on the Islamic Republic killed its leader Saturday and threw the region into uncertainty. 

Six American service members have been confirmed dead in the operations, which President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. has “the capability to go far longer” than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran.

RELATED: Iran death toll rises to 6 US service members killed

Here are the latest updates from Tuesday: 

6:20 a.m. ET: The U.S. military said late Monday night they had destroyed Islamic and Iranian facilities and sites during their operations.

US ambassador in Israel tells Americans to leave through Sinai Peninsula

3:09 a.m. ET: According to the Associated Press, the U.S. ambassador in Israel has told Americans there that the best way to leave is through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

Mike Huckabee said in a social media post early Tuesday that the embassy was receiving lots of evacuations requests as Embassy staff “are sheltering in place.”
“There are VERY LIMITED options,” he wrote. “Not sure when Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv will reopen.”

He advised Americans to take buses to Egypt’s resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba in southern Sinai, describing that route as “best.”

United Arab Emirates added to list of US State Department evacuations

3:05 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that the U.S. State Department evacuations of non-emergency personnel and family reached six nations on Tuesday with the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and long considered a safe corner of the Middle East, has been dragged into the Iran war with interceptions and attacks.

The other countries include Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan. Kuwait and Qatar.

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi also warned there could be militant attacks in the UAE as well.

“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning and may target tourist locations, transportation hubs, shopping areas, government facilities, places of worship, and in particular locations associated with the Jewish and Israeli communities,” it added.

US and Israel attack Iran 

The backstory:

On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, and Trump said the U.S. was starting major combat operations against Iran.

The strikes killed the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other high ranking officials, throwing its leadership into question and raising the risk of regional instability.  

Dig deeper:

Trump said there were four objectives for the operations: 

• Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities
• Wipe out its naval capacity
• Stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon
• “Ensure that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”

This is the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the Islamic Republic during talks over its nuclear program.