Authored by Savannah Hulsey Pointer via The Epoch Times,
The U.S. State Department is looking to help Americans in the Middle East find a way home.
The State Department said on March 3 it is working to charter aircraft to fly Americans home following the start of the U.S.–Israel military strikes on Iran.
“The State Department is actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East,” said Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs.
The Middle East war has caused major disruption in commercial air travel in the region.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the State Department “is actively working on plans to help Americans in the Middle East return home.”
She said U.S. citizens in the region should register at step.state.gov.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a March 3 presser that to date, 9,000 Americans have been able to leave the Middle East since the start of the war with Iran.
According to the diplomat, more U.S. citizens are still attempting to leave the area, and in addition to military and charter flights, the government is working to secure expanded commercial flight options to facilitate the repatriation.
“Here’s the message I want to deliver [to] Americans who are in the Middle East and in need of assistance,” Rubio said. “We need to know where you are. We need to have contact information for Americans that need assistance. They have to register with us, because as these options begin to open up, and as they open up, we have to be able to call you.”
Johnson said the department has been in touch with almost 3,000 Americans seeking information on how to leave the area.
Nearly 500 of those inquiries came from Americans in Israel alone. Thus far, the Department of State has helped about 130 of those citizens leave the country, and 100 more are expected to leave on March 3.
Additional resources and departure options for Americans abroad can be found by calling 1-202-501-4444.
While many nations are moving citizens away from the Middle East, Israel is preparing ways to bring its citizens home who are stranded abroad.
The country will reopen Ben-Gurion Airport for limited incoming flights early on March 5, according to Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev.
Ben-Gurion is Israel’s primary international airport, located a few miles southeast of Tel Aviv. Israel’s airspace has been closed for days, since the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran began.
According to Regev, one passenger flight will be allowed to enter per hour, for the first 24 hours. This will bring in about 5,000 individuals looking to return to the Middle East nation. More flights could be allowed in later, depending on security issues.
There will be no commercial departures from the airport, and it is unclear whether anyone other than Israelis will be permitted on the incoming flights.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced to the House of Commons on March 3 that their government is working to increase the capacity of flights from Muscat, Oman, to bring home British citizens.
British Airways said in a statement that it is still unable to operate flights from several Middle East destinations, including Abu Dhabi, Amman, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv.
Cooper said 130,000 Britons have registered their presence in the Middle East.
“We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority for vulnerable nationals,” Cooper told parliamentarians.
“A government charter flight will fly from Muscat in the coming days, prioritising vulnerable nationals, but British nationals in Oman must wait to be contacted by the foreign office regarding these options.”
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