Following US President President Donald Trump’s confirmation of US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, the US State Department has stepped up emergency evacuations and issued fresh travel warnings for Americans across the Middle East. According to an internal State Department document reviewed by The Associated Press, the US has doubled the number of evacuation flights out of Israel and begun drawing down diplomatic staff in several hotspots, including Lebanon and Iraq.
- On Saturday, the US Embassy in Jerusalem had already started flying American citizens out of Israel.
- Two government-operated flights carried 67 Americans to Athens.
- Plans for four more flights on Sunday were disrupted by the closure of Israeli airspace following the strikes. Rescheduling is underway.
- The embassy expects to operate up to six evacuation flights to Athens on Monday, along with chartered flights to Rome and Cyprus.
- A cruise ship carrying more than 1,000 Americans, including hundreds of Jewish teenagers on an educational tour, also docked in Cyprus.
Embassy closures and regional alerts
In Lebanon, the State Department ordered the departure of all nonessential staff and their families from the US Embassy in Beirut, citing a “volatile and unpredictable security situation.” However, no evacuation flights were announced for Lebanon. Americans were advised to leave using commercial transport where available.
Warnings were also issued for US citizens in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, urging increased vigilance. In Saudi Arabia, personnel have been told to avoid military installations.
In Turkey, US staff were advised to avoid travel to the Adana consular district, which includes the Incirlik NATO airbase, due to rising anti-US sentiment. “Negative sentiment toward US foreign policy may prompt actions against US or Western interests in Turkey,” the State Department warned.
The drawdown of staff at US diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Erbil continues, following an earlier evacuation order issued even before Israel’s military action against Iran. Additional personnel departed Iraq on June 21 and 22, as part of a process initiated on June 12.
Global alert for Americans abroad
In a worldwide alert issued on Sunday, the State Department advised all American citizens overseas to “exercise increased caution,” warning that the Israel-Iran conflict has disrupted regional travel and could trigger demonstrations against US citizens.
As of Saturday, AP reported that more than 7,900 Americans had requested for help in leaving Israel, while over 1,000 Americans—mainly dual US-Iranian nationals—had asked for assistance exiting Iran. Though the US has no diplomatic presence in Iran, more than 200 Americans have reportedly reached Azerbaijan via land routes.
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Trump hints at Iranian regime change as death toll rises
Trump openly floated the idea of regime change in Iran. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote:
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”
Meanwhile, concerns are mounting over the human cost of the ongoing conflict. A US-based group, Human Rights Activists, reported that Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 950 people and injured 3,450 across the country. Of those killed, the group identified 380 civilians and 253 security personnel among the dead.
The Trump administration has warned Tehran against any retaliatory action following the joint Israeli-American offensive, as regional tensions continue to escalate.
(With inputs from AP)
