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The State Department says its efforts to get Americans out of the Middle East are making progress, as the war with Iran continues to impact much of the region.Americans were told to leave more than a dozen countries one week ago due to “serious safety risks.” The alert came two days after the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran, when many commercial flights had already been cancelled. The State Department began offering charter flights later in the week. More than 36,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East so far, according to the department’s latest news release. Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, didn’t give specifics when asked how many Americans are still waiting for help. “It’s a dynamic figure that we’re dealing with here, but fundamentally, our priority is to bring every single American home that wants to come home,” Pigott said in an interview on Monday.The department says seats available on its charter options are “significantly greater than the demand from Americans in the region,” and commercial flight availability is improving.Pigott dismissed criticism that the Trump administration should have rolled out an evacuation plan sooner. “Well, look, had contingency plans in place, and we saw the immediate activation of that 24/7 task force, hundreds of personnel fielding calls, reaching out with proactive security and travel guidance,” Pigott said. The Trump administration publicly built up its military presence in the Middle East for weeks before launching its latest attacks on Iran. Asked why Americans weren’t told to evacuate before the strikes started, Pigott said several countries in the region were under Level Four travel advisories, also known as “Do Not Travel” advisories.”It’s a dynamic security environment that we are continuously evaluating,” Pigott said. In a letter last week to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a group of Senate Democrats said the department’s actions demonstrated “a clear lack of preparedness for the predictable risks this operation would create.” They also asserted that staff cuts and unfilled ambassador positions in the Middle East hampered the response, which Pigott denies.Sheiva and Robert Mills were visiting their newborn grandchild in the United Arab Emirates when they started hearing loud booms, the sound of Iranian missiles being intercepted. On Sunday, the couple was still scrambling to get home to North Carolina. They had initially declined a spot on a State Department flight, only to later learn that their commercial flight had been cancelled. They said ticket prices had skyrocketed, and options were slim. “We’ve had to do a whole lot of praying and trusting in God to get us through this,” said Sheiva Mills. “We have to get back home, but how that looks right now? We have no idea.”Come Monday, the couple was on the way back to the United States. Still, they said the Trump administration could’ve done more to warn Americans ahead of time. “If something should ever happen again, be better prepared for American citizens who are abroad so that we can make it back home,” said Robert Mills. Americans in the Middle East who need assistance can call the State Department at +1-202-501-4444. American citizens in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel should complete the Crisis Intake Form.
The State Department says its efforts to get Americans out of the Middle East are making progress, as the war with Iran continues to impact much of the region.
Americans were told to leave more than a dozen countries one week ago due to “serious safety risks.” The alert came two days after the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran, when many commercial flights had already been cancelled. The State Department began offering charter flights later in the week.
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More than 36,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East so far, according to the department’s latest news release.
Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, didn’t give specifics when asked how many Americans are still waiting for help.
“It’s a dynamic figure that we’re dealing with here, but fundamentally, our priority is to bring every single American home that wants to come home,” Pigott said in an interview on Monday.
The department says seats available on its charter options are “significantly greater than the demand from Americans in the region,” and commercial flight availability is improving.
Pigott dismissed criticism that the Trump administration should have rolled out an evacuation plan sooner.
“Well, look, had contingency plans in place, and we saw the immediate activation of that 24/7 task force, hundreds of personnel fielding calls, reaching out with proactive security and travel guidance,” Pigott said.
The Trump administration publicly built up its military presence in the Middle East for weeks before launching its latest attacks on Iran. Asked why Americans weren’t told to evacuate before the strikes started, Pigott said several countries in the region were under Level Four travel advisories, also known as “Do Not Travel” advisories.
“It’s a dynamic security environment that we are continuously evaluating,” Pigott said.
In a letter last week to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a group of Senate Democrats said the department’s actions demonstrated “a clear lack of preparedness for the predictable risks this operation would create.” They also asserted that staff cuts and unfilled ambassador positions in the Middle East hampered the response, which Pigott denies.
Sheiva and Robert Mills were visiting their newborn grandchild in the United Arab Emirates when they started hearing loud booms, the sound of Iranian missiles being intercepted.
On Sunday, the couple was still scrambling to get home to North Carolina. They had initially declined a spot on a State Department flight, only to later learn that their commercial flight had been cancelled. They said ticket prices had skyrocketed, and options were slim.
“We’ve had to do a whole lot of praying and trusting in God to get us through this,” said Sheiva Mills. “We have to get back home, but how that looks right now? We have no idea.”
Come Monday, the couple was on the way back to the United States. Still, they said the Trump administration could’ve done more to warn Americans ahead of time.
“If something should ever happen again, be better prepared for American citizens who are abroad so that we can make it back home,” said Robert Mills.
Americans in the Middle East who need assistance can call the State Department at +1-202-501-4444. American citizens in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel should complete the Crisis Intake Form.
