US State Dept: 32,000 Americans Evacuated from Middle East Since War Began — Half Refused Government Help

US Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson posted an updated tally confirming that 32,000 American citizens had returned to the United States from across the Middle East since the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28. The US government operated almost two dozen charter flights in addition to urging citizens to use scarce commercial flights. However, Johnson noted a striking pattern: 'More than half of American citizens who requested help departing turn down U.S. Government-provided transportation options when contacted. Some American citizens wish to remain in country, while others prefer an alternative departure option.' The State Department acknowledged that commercial flight availability across the region 'continues to improve' while government charter and ground transport operations 'continue to ramp up, as security conditions allow.' The figure of 32,000 evacuated represents only a fraction of the estimated hundreds of thousands of Americans living in the region before the war. Israel has a large US expatriate and dual-citizen population; the Gulf states host significant numbers of American workers; and Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt together add several more tens of thousands. The US government faced criticism in the war's opening days for not having a clear evacuation plan in place.