At least 10 people were killed after protesters attempted to enter the US consulate in Karachi on Sunday.New Delhi:

The United States on Wednesday ordered some of its staff at consulates in Karachi and Lahore to leave Pakistan due to "safety risks" amid protests over the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli attacks.

The consulates general in Lahore and Karachi had already cancelled all visa appointments till March 6 due to the current security situation.

"The Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and the family members of US government personnel from US Consulates Lahore and Karachi to leave Pakistan due to safety risks. There is no change to the status of Embassy Islamabad," the US Embassy in Pakistan said in an official statement.

The travel advisory warned of "terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Pakistan".

It also said that terrorists "may strike without warning".

"They target transportation hubs, hotels, markets, malls, military and security forces sites, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist spots, and government buildings," it said.

There was no change, however, to the status of the US embassy in the capital, Islamabad, which has also cancelled all visa appointments till March 6.

Hundreds had gathered outside the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore on Sunday to protest the assassination of Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike by the US and Israel last Saturday.

At least 10 people were killed after protesters attempted to enter the consulate in Karachi.

Pakistani students and rights activists had also staged a demonstration outside the US Consulate in Lahore on Tuesday.

The department also "authorized non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave" Saudi Arabia, Oman and Cyprus "due to safety risks".

The US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Saturday, killing 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunging the Middle East into a crisis.

Since then, Iran has responded with missile attacks and drone barrages across the Middle East, targeting key American sites in the Gulf countries.