Stuck in a warzone: Americans in Israel told U.S. embassy can’t help them evacuate

Americans in Israel can’t get help leaving

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem posted a notice on March 2 saying it is not in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans trying to leave Israel.

The Embassy also said it could not guarantee the safety of anyone who tries to leave on their own.

By March 3, both the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv consular offices had closed, and no passport or emergency services were available to Americans on the ground.

Strikes on Iran set this all in motion

The situation started Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and several Gulf states.

Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway, shut down the same day and closed Israeli airspace to all civilian flights.

With no planes coming in or going out, tens of thousands of Americans suddenly had no clear way home.

Shuttle buses to Egypt became the main option

Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the best available route out was shuttle buses run by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism to the Taba border crossing in Egypt.

From Taba, Americans could fly to Cairo and connect home from there.

The shuttle service started running March 2 and required registration through the Ministry’s evacuation form.

The Embassy said it could not recommend for or against using the shuttles since it is an Israeli operation, not a U.S. one.

Jordan route carried too many unknowns

Huckabee also warned Americans not to try leaving through Jordan.

Flights out of Jordan were not consistent, and the Allenby border crossing between Israel and Jordan was operating on limited hours.

With no reliable way to get a flight out once you crossed, the Jordan option offered little certainty. The shuttle route to Egypt remained the option officials pointed to most.

State Dept. says it helped hundreds depart

As of March 3, the State Department said it had helped more than 130 Americans leave Israel, with about 100 more expected to depart that day.

The department said it was in direct contact with nearly 500 American citizens working to arrange travel out of the country. Hundreds of others had already left on their own.

The State Department said Americans using government-arranged travel would not have to pay the government back.

Thousands more left the wider Middle East

The scope of the situation stretched well beyond Israel.

On March 2, the State Department urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East immediately.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said about 9,000 Americans had left the broader region since the conflict began, and more than 1,500 had asked the government for help getting out.

The department said it was arranging charter flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

Hotline told callers not to count on the U.S.

A State Department hotline number was shared for Americans needing help.

But when people called, the automated message told them not to rely on the U.S. government for evacuation and said no U.S. evacuation points existed at that time.

The message was updated Tuesday night to connect callers to a live answering service. Americans can now reach the State Department around the clock at 1-202-501-4444.

Both parties questioned the government’s response

The response drew criticism from members of both parties.

Democratic Sen. Andy Kim, a former diplomat, called the delayed warnings one of the biggest derelictions of duty he had ever seen. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said the administration deliberately put Americans at risk.

On the Republican side, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expected a stronger effort involving significant air assets.

Sen. Roger Wicker noted the military force near Iran did not include Marines trained in civilian evacuations.

Rubio pushed back and pointed to airspace

Rubio said the State Department had been working to get Americans out for 72 hours using military, commercial, and charter options.

He said the main problem was that airspace closures forced planes to turn back before they could land. Rubio said he was confident the U.S. would be able to help every American who needed it.

The State Department also ordered the departure of nonessential embassy staff from Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan.

No evacuation plan was ready when strikes began

President Trump said no plan was in place beforehand because events moved quickly, and he believed Iran was about to strike first.

But Defense officials described weeks of military preparation before the Feb. 28 strikes, including moving civilians and nonessential staff away from military bases.

The State Department did not issue its urgent departure advisory until Feb. 28, the same day strikes began and after missiles were already in the air.

An estimated 200,000 Americans live in Israel

Roughly 200,000 or more Americans live in Israel and the West Bank, though it is not clear how many are trying to leave versus sheltering in place.

That number also does not count tourists and short-term visitors who were in the country when the strikes started.

One family from North Carolina had traveled to Jerusalem on a religious trip and was sheltering in their hotel as the situation unfolded around them.

Here is what stranded Americans should do now

Americans in Israel should register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov to get official updates. The Embassy advised sheltering in place until it is safe to move and recommended downloading the Israeli Home Front Command app for real-time rocket and missile alerts.

Ben Gurion Airport was expected to begin a phased reopening Wednesday night, but early flights would carry returning Israelis only, with no outbound passenger flights available yet.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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