The State Department is urging Americans to depart 14 international locations within the Middle East (Image: AFP by way of Getty Images)
As the U.S.-Israel warfare with Iran continues to escalate into its fifth day, fearful American residents within the Middle East face restricted choices to evacuate to security.
The Trump administration is being slammed for not having a plan in place to evacuate Americans from the battle area earlier than the U.S. launched its joint operation on Iran over the weekend, which has killed over 1,000 people.
Americans caught within the Middle East have been trying to comply with the State Department’s advice to evacuate the battle as Iran triggers retaliatory strikes on Israel and neighboring Gulf states. However, many are encountering a terrifying message when trying to contact the emergency hotline.
Jonathan Karl, ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent, demonstrated what occurred when he tried to call the State Department’s 24/7 hotline in a TikTok post, solely to be met with a pre-recorded message.
“Please do not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation at this time,” the message said. “There are currently no United States evacuation points. Please continue to check the embassy’s website for updated information.”
Karl said, “The bottom line is, if you’re looking for help, you’re stuck in the Middle East, and you can’t evacuate, there’s no help yet from the United States government.”
Trump says “It occurred all in a short time” of the conflict in Iran (Image: Getty Images)
President Donald Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Tuesday why evacuations weren’t planned beforehand so Americans could be removed from the area.
“It occurred all in a short time,” Trump said in response while largely dodging the question. “I believed we had been going to have a scenario the place we had been going to be attacked.”
The State Department is urging Americans to leave the Middle East
The White House has been urging Americans in the Middle East to register with the State Department at Step.State.Gov to get the latest updates from the closest U.S. embassy, call the 24/7 State Department Task Force, or follow the department on social media and WhatsApp.
The State Department issued a “DEPART NOW” warning on Monday for Americans in the following 14 countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.
Dylan Johnson, the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, wrote on X on Tuesday that the “State Department is actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East.”
Continuing, he wrote, “We’ve been in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans abroad. American citizens should call 1-202-501-4444 for assistance with departure options.”
What is the U.S. doing for Americans in the Middle East?
According to a press release from the State Department, in the past few days, over 9,000 American citizens have safely returned from the Middle East, including over 300 from Israel.
It said that it’s facilitating flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for American citizens, and commercial aviation options are available in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Egypt.
However, the airspace in the Middle East remains a safety concern for incoming and outgoing flights. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the Capitol that the department is trying to carry out a plan to evacuate American Citizens.
“The downside is, or the problem we face, is airspace closures,” he said. “If a nation closes their airport, for instance, in some instances the airports have been hit.”
Continuing, Rubio mentioned, “So, that is the problem, however relaxation assured, we’re assured that we’re going to give you the chance to help each American.”
“So the State Department is forcing everyone to immediately leave the region but is also refusing to help people leave the region,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy mentioned in an X post. “Incompetence everywhere.”
Multiple U.S. embassies have mentioned they’re unable to help Americans safely depart the Middle East, together with the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
