US working to evacuate citizens wishing to leave Israel, ambassador says

The United States is working to evacuate US citizens wishing to leave Israel by arranging flights and cruise ship departures, US ambassador Mike Huckabee said in a post on X on Wednesday, as fears mount of further military escalation between Iran and Israel.

The US embassy in Jerusalem was working on the evacuation arrangements, Huckabee said, urging Americans in the country to sign up for updates through the State Department’s Smart Traveler program

“Urgent notice! American citizens wanting to leave Israel-US Embassy in Israel @usembassyjlm is working on evacuation flights & cruise ship departures. You must enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrolment Program (STEP),” Huckabee wrote.

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The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was unclear how many Americans were seeking to depart Israel or whether the US military would assist with the evacuation flights.

US President Donald Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the five-day-old war between Iran and Israel to suggesting the United States might join it.

Several countries are evacuating their citizens from Israel including the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and China.

The evacuations also come amid a suspension of air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport. 

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