State Department urges US citizens to leave Iraq immediately

The State Department issued a security alert early Friday morning, urging Americans in Iraq to leave the country immediately.

Report informs, citing Fox News, that the warning came hours after Iran promised "harsh retaliation" against the United States for an airstrike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani at the Baghdad International Airport.

"Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, we urge US citizens to depart Iraq immediately," the State Department said in the alert.

"US citizens should depart via airline while possible, and failing that, to other countries via land," the embassy said in a statement.