WASHINGTON (News Desk) — At least 9,000 American citizens have evacuated the Middle East since the outbreak of the conflict sparked by joint U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday. The figure reflects a fast-moving effort by the U.S. government to help its citizens depart a region roiled by escalating violence.
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Rubio’s comments came amid a broader advisory from the U.S. State Department urging Americans in more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Israel — to “depart now” using available commercial transportation due to serious safety risks.
The evacuation push has been complicated by closed airports, canceled flights and land border congestion, according to U.S. officials. In many areas, land routes through neighboring countries such as Egypt, Oman and Jordan are being coordinated where air travel isn’t viable.
Rubio also confirmed that, as of Tuesday, all U.S. personnel in the region were accounted for following a drone strike near the U.S. consulate in Dubai, though roughly 1,600 Americans remain in the Middle East and are actively seeking assistance to depart.
The evacuation effort marks one of the largest U.S. diplomatic draws downs since the Iraq War, reflecting growing concerns about civilian safety as hostilities intensify. The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have triggered widespread retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region.
With energy markets unsettled and governments scrambling to protect citizens, Washington faces mounting pressure to streamline evacuation logistics and manage diplomatic fallout as the situation evolves.
