US says nearly 20,000 citizens returned from Middle East since Feb. 28

WASHINGTON

Nearly 20,000 American citizens have safely returned to the US from the Middle East since Feb. 28, the State Department said on Thursday.

Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson said the figure does not include Americans who relocated to other countries or those who have departed the region but remain in transit back to the US.

Additional charter flights and ground transport operations are underway, he said.

The State Department has also established a crisis intake form for American citizens in Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel so they can receive updates on upcoming charter aviation and ground transportation options, he added.

Tensions have surged in the Middle East after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran starting Feb. 28, and has since killed over 900 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and at least 165 schoolgirls, according to Iranian authorities.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries. At least six US service members have been killed and several others injured.