U.S. President Donald Trump announced that more than 9,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East, while urging Americans who remain in the region to contact the U.S. State Department if they wish to leave and return home.
In a message posted on his social media platform, Trump stated that the State Department is working to identify the locations of U.S. citizens in the region and provide them with travel options. He noted that the government has already arranged free charter flights for evacuees and expects that additional commercial flight opportunities will become available in the coming period.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confirmed that the State Department is actively assisting Americans seeking to depart the Middle East. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Rubio explained that officials are coordinating charter flights, exploring the use of military aircraft, and expanding commercial travel options in cooperation with airlines, including deploying larger aircraft with increased seating capacity.
Rubio added that in several instances, planes were already heading toward the region when airspace closures forced them to turn back. According to him, more than 1,500 U.S. citizens have requested assistance from the State Department to leave the Middle East.
While expressing confidence that those who asked for help will eventually be assisted, Rubio cautioned that the evacuation process may take time, noting that U.S. authorities do not control the airspace in the region.
