US scrambles to evacuate 1,500 Americans as Iran war shuts down Middle East airspace

The United States on Tuesday began facilitating charter flights for American citizens stranded in the Middle East, as joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran continue to disrupt regional stability and severely impact global air travel.

The State Department said it is arranging charter departures from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and will expand capacity as security conditions permit. Officials also indicated that military aircraft are being secured to assist Americans seeking to leave the region, although further details were not disclosed.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that approximately 1,500 U.S. citizens have requested assistance. The department is working to organize additional charter and military flight options while coordinating with commercial airlines to deploy larger aircraft with increased seating capacity.

The evacuation efforts come four days after the start of the U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran, which has triggered widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures across key regional hubs. On Monday, the State Department had urged Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to depart immediately using available commercial flights, without initially outlining government-backed evacuation measures, according to Reuters.

The situation has drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers, who argue that the administration was slow to warn citizens and lacked adequate contingency planning. Senator Brian Schatz said Americans were left exposed despite expectations of retaliation following the strikes. Democratic Senator Andy Kim described the delayed evacuation warnings as evidence of “zero strategy and planning.”

President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, said the conflict escalated rapidly when questioned about the absence of earlier evacuation plans.

The regional conflict, which began Saturday, has sent shockwaves through global markets. Major Gulf aviation hubs remain closed, including operations in Dubai, one of the world’s busiest international transit centers. Tens of thousands of passengers remain stranded, while airfares have surged sharply.

U.S. security alerts urging Americans to shelter in place or prepare for emergency measures were issued by embassies in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain after the strikes had commenced.

The State Department also ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families from embassies in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Jordan. Similar steps were previously taken in Lebanon and Israel.

In Jerusalem, the U.S. Embassy said Americans may register for shuttle services operated by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism to the Taba border crossing with Egypt, but warned that the U.S. government cannot guarantee the safety of that route.

Meanwhile, oil prices climbed about 6 percent as the conflict widened, adding further pressure to already volatile global markets.