JERUSALEM, Feb 27 — The US will permit non-emergency government personnel and family members to leave Israel over safety risks, the US Embassy in Jerusalem said today, amid growing concerns about the risk of a military conflict with Iran.

The embassy did not elaborate on the safety risks leading to the “authorized departure”, which allows affected personnel to decide whether to leave. It falls short of the ordered departure instituted this week for some personnel at the US Embassy ⁠in Beirut.

The US has built ⁠up one of its ⁠biggest military deployments in the ⁠Middle ⁠East as it negotiates with Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme. The latest ⁠round of talks ended yesterday with no sign of a breakthrough.

Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked, and an ⁠escalation could also draw in Israel. The two foes fought a 12-day war in ⁠June.

Several countries have begun withdrawing dependents of diplomatic personnel ⁠and ⁠non-essential staff from some locations in the Middle East, or advising citizens to avoid travel to Iran, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. — Reuters