“Get out now” came too late for Americans stuck in the Middle East with no way home

State Department tells Americans to leave now

The U.S. State Department urged Americans to immediately leave 16 countries and territories across the Middle East on March 2.

The warning covered Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE, and Yemen.

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar posted the alert on social media, citing serious safety risks. An estimated 500,000 to 1 million Americans were in the region at the time.

US and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28

Days before the travel warning, the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 in what the U.S. called Operation Epic Fury.

The strikes hit missile sites, naval forces, command centers, and Iranian leadership. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in the initial wave.

President Trump described the operation as the last best chance to deal with threats from Iran’s missiles and nuclear program. The retaliation came fast.

Iran struck back across the region

Iran launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. allies and bases throughout the Middle East. Airports in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi took direct hits, shutting down some of the world’s busiest air hubs.

U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Beirut closed after nearby strikes. Two drones hit the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire and material damage.

Six U.S. service members died in the days after the conflict began.

Flights canceled as airspace shut down

The State Department told Americans to fly out on commercial flights, but there was a big problem. Airspace across Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Syria stayed closed.

More than 19,000 of roughly 51,600 scheduled flights in the region were canceled in the first several days. Major U.S. airlines, including Delta and United, suspended flights to multiple Middle East destinations.

For many travelers, there was simply no way out.

No evacuation plan existed for civilians

When reporters asked why there was no evacuation plan, President Trump said the strikes happened quickly. He said he believed Iran was about to attack first, so the U.S. needed to act.

But Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine had described months of military planning before the operation. Caine said military personnel had been quietly repositioned to protect the joint force before strikes began.

Critics noted that while the military prepared for its own people, no similar steps covered American civilians.

Administration said striking first saved lives

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. knew Israel planned to act and that Iran would respond by attacking American forces.

Rubio said the U.S. chose to strike first rather than absorb a blow and risk higher casualties. Trump said Iran was building missiles that could soon reach the United States.

The administration framed the whole operation as defensive, aimed at destroying Iran’s missile capability, navy, and nuclear program.

Hotline told callers not to expect help

Americans who called the State Department’s 24/7 hotline heard an automated message saying the government could not help with evacuation. The recording told callers not to rely on the government for assisted departure.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said it was not in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans leaving Israel.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee suggested Americans could try an Israeli government shuttle bus to Egypt while making their own plans.

Stranded Americans described feeling abandoned

Americans across the region said they felt trapped.

Some had been on layovers or vacations when the strikes began and found themselves stuck with no way home. Multiple travelers reported that the State Department hotline could not offer immediate help.

Some pointed out that the UK, France, and Germany began arranging evacuation flights for their own citizens sooner. For many, the message from their own government felt clear: you are on your own.

Lawmakers on both sides demanded answers

Democrats sharply criticized the lack of pre-war evacuation planning. Rep. Ted Lieu called on the administration to immediately schedule government evacuation flights.

Sen. Andy Kim said the late warnings showed “zero strategy.”

Sen. Chris Murphy said the administration was forcing people to leave but refusing to help them do it. Some Republican lawmakers also pressed the administration about its plans for getting stranded Americans home.

Charter flights and military aircraft followed

By March 4, the State Department said it was setting up charter flights from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. The government said it would cover the cost for American citizens.

State Department call centers had reached nearly 3,000 Americans abroad by that point. More than 9,000 Americans had safely left the Middle East since the conflict started.

Rubio said the department was also working to arrange military aircraft for evacuations.

Travelers face new risks without warning

The crisis showed that Americans abroad may have very limited help from the government during a sudden military escalation. No advance travel advisory warned Americans to leave the region before strikes began.

The first security alert came only after combat operations were already underway. Commercial air travel through the Middle East, a major global transit corridor, was severely disrupted for days.

The conflict highlighted the risks of traveling through regions where U.S. military action could start without warning.

The crisis continues to shift daily

As of March 5, the conflict is ongoing and the situation keeps changing. Airspace restrictions and flight cancellations shift daily based on security conditions.

The State Department continues to urge Americans to leave the region. Some airports in the UAE and Saudi Arabia have begun limited operations.

Casualty figures, departure numbers, and flight availability may all change as events develop.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• U.S. senator tells spring breakers to stay out of Mexico after cartel violence erupts
• Destinations U.S. travelers can’t access as easily now
• Trump wants $1 billion from countries to join his new Board of Peace