US helped over 170 American citizens and residents leave Israel in past few days
State Department official says 5 assisted departure flights have taken off from Israel since the US began offering them on Saturday
The United States helped about 100 US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family members leave Israel on Saturday and Sunday, a US State Department official said on Monday.
The assisted departures from Israel come as tensions rose in the Middle East, after Washington struck Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran targeted a US base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation.
US ally Israel’s war with Iran began on June 13 when Israel struck Iran, which in turn launched missile and drone attacks. The air war raised alarms in a region that was already on edge since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, when the Hamas terror group attacked Israel. Trump said on Monday that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
The State Department official said that as of Sunday, three flights had departed Israel with a total of approximately 100 US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their accompanying immediate family members since Washington began assisted departure flights from Israel on Saturday.
On Saturday, the State Department organized two flights departing from Tel Aviv to Athens with approximately 70 US citizens, their accompanying family members, and lawful permanent residents, the official said.
Israel on Monday began allowing outgoing flights from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport after departures were barred since June 13, with planes limited to 50 passengers.
The Times of Israel Community.