Over 9,000 Americans have returned from Middle East since launch of Operation Epic Fury, says Rubio

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday scrambled to assist thousands of stranded Americans in the Middle East trying to evacuate the region after the U.S. and Israel jointly launched an operation targeting Iran over the weekend. 

The State Department on Monday urged Americans to depart from 14 countries in the region using commercial means, but there are currently significant disruptions in air travel.

According to ABC News, multiple U.S. embassies had said they are unable to help citizens trying to leave but the State Department on Tuesday sent out a new alert for Americans in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, saying, "The U.S. government is ready to help Americans return home safely from the Middle East if you choose to take advantage of the options available.”

Later on Tuesday, a fire broke out at the U.S. consulate in Dubai after an Iranian drone struck an adjacent parking lot, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"Our embassies and our diplomatic facilities are under direct attack from a terroristic regime," Rubio told reporters at the Capitol. 

“9,000 Americans have been able to leave the region since the start of this war.  We have about 1,500 Americans that are requesting assistance with departure.  We have identified and continued to identify charter flights, military flight options, and expanded commercial flight options, meaning working with the airlines to send bigger airplanes with more seats, and a combination of those three things.  The impediment we’re facing now, in many cases – we’ve had a couple instances in which we have planes in the air and on the way, and unfortunately the airspace gets closed and they have to turn back around.  So we’re working through those challenges,” Rubio told reporters, according to the State Department transcript. 

In a Truth Social post, President Trump urged U.S. citizens still in the region who are seeking to go back home to register with the State Department.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posing a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East, including those stationed in Middle Eastern and Gulf countries. Some of the attacks have struck airports, halting air travel across the region. The U.S. calls its campaign Operation Epic Fury.