US helped Americans leave Israel with flights over weekend

WASHINGTON - The US helped about 100 US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family members leave Israel on June 21 and 22, a US State Department official said on June 23.

The assisted departures from Israel come as tensions have risen in the Middle East, after US President Donald Trump joined Israel’s air war against Tehran by

dropping massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear production sites

on the morning of June 22.

Since then, Iran has repeatedly threatened to retaliate.

Iran’s military said it

carried out a missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar

on June 23 after explosions were heard across the Qatari capital following Tehran’s threat to retaliate for US airstrikes on its nuclear sites.

The State Department official said that as at June 22, three flights had departed Israel with a total of approximately 100 US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their accompanying immediate family members since Washington began assisted departure flights from Israel on June 21. REUTERS