The State Department has ordered immediate evacuations for U.S. citizens in the Middle East as President Trump's war with Iran quickly escalates.
U.S. embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have also been shut down. Overnight, Iran targeted the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia as a counterattack to the U.S. and Israel's military operation.
A third was closed today: The U.S. Embassy in Beirut was also closed Tuesday amid regional tensions, with officials saying they'd communicate when it plans to return to normal operations.
More than 9,800 flights as of Tuesday morning, with most the cancellations coming from Middle Eastern airlines.
🗺️ Map of where Iran has retaliated
The locations listed in the State Department security alert: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Logistically, how do Americans get out?: The State Department has advised Americans abroad to leave the Middle East "using available commercial travel." But it's not that simple.
Even for Americans who desperately want to take the department's advice to "DEPART NOW," the situation is chaotic and fluid. Much of the airspace in the Middle East is closed, some airports have halted operations and several airlines are no longer running flights.
The U.K. is using a charter flight to evacuate British nationals who are stranded in the Middle East. However, the U.S. State Department has urged Americans who are stuck to reach out to the department for assistance in booking a commercial flight.
A sign of just how fluid things are: The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Tuesday warned that it "is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel" and urged citizens to make their own plans. This comes a day after the State Department urged citizens to leave Israel and other countries.
Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who once worked for the State Department, is especially critical of the Trump administration's evacuation strategy. "Warnings to citizens to evacuate 3 days into this war, when airspace is closed, is a clear sign of ZERO strategy and planning by the Trump admin," Kim argued. "Now Americans have limited options to evacuate at an extremely dangerous moment with no government assistance."
And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) publicly called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to organize flights to evacuate Americans. "You told Americans to depart now via commercial means when you know many airports/airspace are closed. YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULE U.S. GOVERNMENT EVACUATION FLIGHTS FOR THE STRANDED AMERICANS IN DANGER," Lieu urged Rubio. "Maybe you should have thought of a frickin' plan first."
A Trump adviser found himself trapped in the Middle East: Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz said he was in the Middle East just as the military operation began and he became stranded in Qatar. He worked with the White House, Middle Eastern officials and others to charter a private flight to Greece, per Politico.
📸 Selfie from the private jet
🎥 Bruesewitz's video of Iranian missiles flying over his head
And a retired U.S. general is stuck in the United Arab Emirates: "One of the small things that does matter to tens of thousands of people here as well as their families — it's a little bit disheartening to hear that the U.K. government is arranging transport for the British citizens, whereas here as Americans we feel abandoned," retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner told CNN.
No comments:
Post a Comment