About 47,000 Americans have returned home since the Middle East conflict began
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About 47,000 Americans have returned to the United States since the outbreak of war in the Middle East, a U.S. State Department official said on Thursday, adding that roughly 50 flights had been organized to repatriate U.S. citizens.
The State Department has faced criticism over what observers described as a significant lack of planning after the United States and Israel carried out unprecedented strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. The department has since stepped up efforts to facilitate the return of Americans from the region.
According to the State Department, around 32,000 people were directly assisted in returning to the United States through dedicated government flights or commercial routes after the creation of a crisis response cell.
A department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number of available seats on the special flights exceeded demand, noting that many Americans in the region opted to arrange their own travel back to the United States.
“We offered travel options to nearly every American in the region who reached out to us,” the official said.
In a departure from usual procedures, Americans were able to travel on the State Department–organized flights without paying the costs upfront. The department is funding the flights through an emergency fund.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had urged Americans to leave the Middle East quickly following the strikes, but faced criticism for not initially providing rapid means for citizens to return home.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the United States Department of State also advised U.S. citizens not to travel to Azerbaijan, citing concerns including terrorism, armed conflict and the risk of anti-personnel landmines.
