The U.S. has begun evacuating nonessential diplomats and their families from the American embassy in Israel, as the conflict with Iran intensifies.
Two American officials told Associated Press that a government plane has evacuated an unspecified number of diplomats and their relatives who asked to leave
The U.S. State Department is planning to evacuate regular American citizens using cruise ships and flights, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran last Friday, igniting a major escalation in their hostilities.
Since then, the two nations have launched a barrage of airstrikes against each other, killing hundreds, with Iran bearing the brunt.
What To Know
Israel’s airspace has been closed since it launched an airstrike against Iran last week, canceling tens of thousands of flights to Tel Aviv.
On Tuesday, Israeli El Al Airlines said they had received government permission to start flights to bring back people who had been stranded abroad during the conflict, but there would be no passenger flights leaving Israel for the foreseeable future.
Leo Correa/AP
In Huckabee’s “urgent notice” post on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday, he urged Americans wanting to flee Israel to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), to receive alerts and updates about the evacuation flights and ships.
There are around 700,000 Americans or dual citizens currently in Israel and thousands more in Iran and neighboring Middle East countries. It is not clear how many are seeking to leave amid the conflict.
The State Department has also established a special task force to assist Americans wanting to leave the area. Run by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the task force is operating 24 hours to provide information to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents wanting to return home.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a warning on Monday evening, telling “everyone” in Tehran, which has a population of 10 million, to “immediately evacuate” the city.
Footage has emerged of Iranians desperately trying to leave the city following Trump’s warning, with videos circulating on social media showing packed highways.
Trump has reiterated his support for Israel but has so far avoided committing the United States to direct military engagement.
U.S. officials confirmed that the USS Nimitz carrier strike group has been deployed to the region.
The president also cut his G7 trip short on Monday, and returned to the White House for a National Security Council meeting to discuss possible options.
What People Are Saying
The State Department said Wednesday, “Given the ongoing situation and as part of the embassy’s authorized departure status, mission personnel have begun departing Israel through a variety of means.”
“Authorized departure” means that nonessential staff and their families are eligible to leave at government expense.
President Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday, “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran! Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again.”
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters at a Tuesday press briefing, “we continue to monitor the complex and rapidly evolving situation on the ground as we continue to assess and address the needs of US citizens.”
What Happens Next
President Trump is said to be weighing potential options on Iran, including a U.S. air strike.
