Departure Order Issued for U.S. Embassy in Lebanon
Advisory Against Non-Essential Travel
U.S. Expands Flights and Evacuation Support
AP reported on June 22 (local time) that the U.S. State Department has heightened the alert level for American citizens throughout the Middle East, as the possibility of retaliation has increased following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
On this day, the U.S. State Department ordered non-essential staff and their families at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, to depart immediately, citing "the region's unstable and unpredictable security situation." However, according to AP, the U.S. government did not mention any official evacuation flights for Americans in Lebanon and instead recommended that they leave the country on their own using commercial flights.
The U.S. also warned Americans staying in Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to raise their security awareness in preparation for possible armed conflict. The U.S. mission in Saudi Arabia advised against non-essential visits to military facilities and urged the maintenance of a heightened state of vigilance.
In Turkiye, Americans were advised to keep a low profile and to refrain from personal travel to the Adana region in the south-central part of the country, as well as to the nearby Incirlik NATO air base. The State Department warned that negative sentiment toward U.S. foreign policy could trigger actions targeting Americans or Westerners locally.
The State Department also announced that it is increasing the number of evacuation flights to Europe through the U.S. Embassy in Israel and accelerating the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel from Iraq. Even before the official announcement of the U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem had already started operating evacuation flights to assist civilians in leaving Israel.
According to AP, as of June 21, about 7,900 Americans staying in Israel had requested evacuation assistance, and around 1,000 people in Iran were also hoping for help to leave the country. It is estimated that approximately 700,000 U.S. citizens reside in Israel.
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