Photo: Alamy
Nearly 20,000 U.S. citizens have returned to the United States from the Middle East since the conflict with Iran began, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The evacuations followed the start of military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran last weekend. Officials said the total does not include additional Americans who relocated to other countries in the region or those who have already departed but are still traveling back to the United States.
Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said the department has been coordinating evacuation efforts while expanding transportation options for Americans seeking to leave the region.
“At the direction of Secretary Rubio, Department of State charter flight and ground transportation operations are underway and will continue to ramp up with additional flights and ground transports taking place today,” Johnson said.
“The State Department will continue to actively assist any American citizen abroad, who wishes to depart the Middle East, to do so,” he added.
At Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s direction, the State Department has begun organizing charter flights and ground transportation for U.S. citizens and is working to increase the number of available evacuation routes.
Officials also launched a Crisis Intake Form for Americans located in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The form allows citizens to receive direct updates on available charter flights and transportation options as the situation develops.
The department’s 24-hour task force has assisted more than 10,000 Americans overseas so far by providing travel coordination, security guidance and other emergency support services.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Americans in the region had been warned in advance to leave as tensions escalated.
Some critics of the evacuation effort have argued the administration has not prioritized the removal of U.S. citizens quickly enough as the conflict expands across the Middle East.
The situation remains fluid as the United States continues military operations against Iranian targets and regional security conditions evolve.
