US charter flight repatriating Americans from Middle East, State Department says

A US government charter flight was bringing Americans to the US from the Middle East, and additional flights were being arranged for destinations throughout the region (US). The State Department said on Wednesday.

The agency did not provide any details about the number of passengers on the flight, the countries they will depart from, or the flight’s departure and arrival times.

The State Department said more than 17,500 Americans have returned safely to the United States from the Middle East since Feb. 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched the first attack on Iran, including nearly 8,500 on Tuesday alone.

Since the conflict began, many more U.S. citizens have left the Middle East for other countries in Europe and Asia, the department said.

The State Department on Monday urged Americans in 14 countries in the Middle East to leave the region immediately using “available commercial transportation.” But many U.S. citizens face hardship due to global air travel disruptions caused by the war.

This sparked harsh criticism from some US lawmakers, who accused the State Department of inadequate planning and late warnings.
The department responded by saying it was “facilitating charter flights” from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan for U.S. citizens needing such assistance.