The United States has formally suspended all operations at its embassy in Kuwait City, citing a rapidly deteriorating security environment as regional hostilities continue to escalate.

The State Department announced the closure on Thursday, marking a significant drawdown in the US diplomatic presence in the Gulf.

The decision follows a series of retaliatory Iranian drone and missile strikes that have targeted several sites in Kuwait, including areas in close proximity to the diplomatic mission.

While the State Department confirmed that no injuries have been reported among US personnel, officials emphasized that the safety of Americans remains the "highest priority."

In a heightened travel advisory, the State Department urged all US citizens currently in Kuwait to depart the country immediately if they can do so safely.

However, with commercial flights currently disrupted at Kuwait International Airport, the embassy noted that the only viable departure routes are overland into Saudi Arabia.

Americans who are unable to leave the country have been instructed to "shelter in place" and remain indoors until further notice.

The embassy suspension follows a week of intense military activity across the region, sparked by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Kuwait has since become a focal point of the conflict's spillover, notably after an Iranian drone strike killed six US service members at a tactical operations center in the country over the weekend.

US citizens requiring emergency assistance are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs for 24/7 support.

With Inputs from BBC