More than 9,000 United States citizens have already returned safely from the Middle East , following the launch of the military operation “Epic Fury” , according to an announcement by US President Donald Trump via the Truth Social platform.
The US president announced that an extensive operation is underway to remove American citizens from the region , with the aim of their safe return to the United States amid increasing instability in the Middle East.
” Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, over 9,000 Americans have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East ,” Trump said in his post.
At the same time, he appealed to those Americans who remain in the region and wish to return , to register their details with the US Department of State through the electronic citizen registration platform.
” If you are in the Middle East and want to return to the US, register your information with the State Department through the Step.State.Gov website ,” he stressed.
According to US authorities, the State Department is identifying citizens requesting assistance and arranging for their return , either through chartered flights at no cost or through available commercial air routes.
” The department will locate your location and provide you with transportation options. Flights are already being chartered at no charge, while seats on commercial flights are being secured ,” the US president noted.
At the same time, American diplomacy has called on US citizens in countries in the region — from Egypt to the Gulf states — to seriously consider their immediate departure , while there are still available travel options.
The war crisis has caused widespread disruption to air transport , with around 19,000 flights cancelled in four days , while several airports in the region have either suspended operations or are operating under strict security measures.
Despite the difficulties, the State Department said there are still limited commercial travel options from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt.
At the same time, Washington is considering transferring citizens to third countries , when conditions permit, even from Israel.
At the same time, the United States has closed several diplomatic missions in the region and ordered the departure of non-essential personnel and diplomats’ families , as missile and drone attacks against American interests continue.
The repatriation operation is developing into one of the largest movements of US citizens from the Middle East in recent years , underscoring the scope of the crisis taking shape in the region.
