Flights for US citizens stuck in Middle East ramping up, State Dept says
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Mr Ryan Rivera speaking with his father at JFK international airport in New York on March 5, after arriving aboard a US government chartered flight.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Middle East strikes and retaliatory attacks caused widespread airspace closures, clogging aviation routes and stranding thousands from February 28.
- The US State Department is ramping up charter flights and ground transport from the region for Americans, starting March 4, following criticism.
- A task force has guided over 10,000 Americans. Citizens in Gulf states and Israel should register for ongoing evacuation help.
AI generated
WASHINGTON - The US State Department said on March 5 it was ramping up the provision of charter flights from the Middle East after criticism over the Trump administration’s planning and initial assistance to US citizens trying to leave the region since the US-Israeli war on Iran began.
The strikes that began on Feb 28 and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on its neighbours have led to widespread airspace closures, clogging busy aviation routes throughout the region and leaving thousands stranded.
Iran has fired missiles and drones toward US diplomatic facilities in the region, leading several to be closed.
On March 5, the State Department announced the suspension of operations at the US embassy in Kuwait, adding there had been no reported injuries to US personnel.
The department, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced on March 4 the first US government charter flight departed the region bound for the US, giving few details.
“At the direction of @SecRubio, 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,” Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a post on X on March 5.
It was unclear from which countries charter flights would be departing.
American citizens in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel should fill out a crisis intake form to receive information about upcoming flights and ground transportation options, Mr Johnson said, adding that a new task force has helped more than 10,000 Americans with guidance since the crisis began.
The State Department had only issued warnings to US citizens in Israel and Lebanon as tensions rose, but Iran’s response has targeted US missions and civilian infrastructure in many more places, including in Gulf Arab nations that are major transport hubs.
US security alerts for Americans in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain went out after the conflict began.
The US on March 2 urged Americans across 14 countries in the Middle East to immediately depart the region using “available commercial transportation” without offering any US-government-vouched means, drawing the ire of US lawmakers. REUTERS
