The U.S. Department of State has initiated assisted departure flights from Israel, as confirmed by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on social media platform X on Saturday.
Two flights have already departed from Tel Aviv to Athens, carrying approximately 70 U.S. citizens along with their immediate family members and lawful permanent residents, according to the State Department.
These evacuation efforts commenced shortly before President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
American citizens currently in Israel who require assistance are encouraged to register with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Ambassador Huckabee urged, “If you are a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident currently in Israel or the West Bank and seeking U.S. government assistance to depart, please complete this form so the Department of State can better assist you and provide you with timely updates.”
He stressed that individuals who have already completed the crisis intake form need not fill it out again.
Huckabee’s announcement comes after a period of confusion regarding U.S. government support for American citizens looking to evacuate Israel.
On June 18, during the sixth day of the ongoing Israel-Iran war, Huckabee indicated that the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was facilitating evacuation flights for U.S. citizens along with departures via cruise ships.
However, the State Department later issued a statement denying any current plans to assist private U.S. citizens with their departures.
The next day, the U.S. Embassy reassured Americans enrolled in STEP that the State Department was preparing for contingencies to help them evacuate.
The embassy indicated that further information would be provided to the U.S. citizen community regarding potential departure options.
To facilitate departures, the embassy asked those interested in leaving Israel to complete an online form.
In light of the escalating conflict, the U.S. State Department has reclassified Israel under a Level 4 travel advisory, cautioning Americans against travel due to armed conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest.
Currently, Ben Gurion International Airport, the major airport in Israel, remains closed, with several commercial airlines suspending flights to the United States.
Meanwhile, many Americans in Israel have organized their evacuations through various means.
Birthright Israel announced that approximately 1,500 program participants were evacuated aboard the Crown Iris, a luxury cruise ship operated by Mano Maritime, which traveled from Ashdod Port to Larnaca, Cyprus.
Additionally, charter flights from Tel Aviv, organized through not-for-profits and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, successfully transported hundreds of Americans evacuating the Middle East, landing in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.
Other individuals have sought to exit Israel via the border with Jordan, opting to travel to Amman and fly to the United States from there, as shared by a parent of a child studying in the region.
Warren Cohen, an American in Israel for business when the conflict began, expressed his frustration, stating, “Mr. President, please bring me home to my family. I’m your neighbor in Mar-a-Lago, and I really want to go see my wife and kids.”
As tensions with Iran have intensified since the conflict’s inception, missile strikes have resulted in significant casualties, with Health Rights Activist reporting at least 657 fatalities, including 263 civilians in Iran.
Reports from Israeli officials indicate that at least 24 individuals have been killed in Israel due to the strikes.
On Friday, missile strikes resulted in 23 injuries in northern Israel, as confirmed by emergency services Magen David Adom.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson later confirmed that “several” U.S. citizens had been ‘lightly wounded’ by an Iranian missile strike, although further specifics surrounding the incident were withheld due to privacy concerns.
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