The U.S. Department of State has announced what it described as “historic” measures to assist American citizens seeking to depart the Middle East and return to the United States.
In a statement issued March 3, the Department said that over the past several days, more than 9,000 U.S. citizens have safely returned from the region, including more than 300 from Israel.
The Department said it is facilitating charter flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for American citizens, and will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions permit.
“Commercial aviation options remain available in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Egypt, and the Department is actively helping American citizens book those tickets,” the statement added. “For those in countries lacking commercial aviation availability, the Department is facilitating travel to third countries as conditions allow. That includes increasing ground transportation options for American citizens wishing to leave Israel.”
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According to the statement, the Department has responded to nearly 3,000 calls from American citizens in the Middle East and continues to provide travel assistance for those seeking to leave. It also noted that the Department will “waive” any statutory requirement for American citizens to reimburse the government for travel expenses.
