47,000 Americans Return from Middle East Since Iran War – U.S.
About 47,000 American citizens have returned from the Middle East since the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran, the United States Department of State has said, as Washington continues efforts to assist its nationals leaving the region.
According to U.S. officials, the departures began after tensions escalated following military strikes on Iran late in February, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and prompting security alerts for Americans across the Middle East.
The State Department disclosed that while thousands of citizens sought assistance, most of the 47,000 Americans left the region through regular commercial flights, while others were evacuated on government-chartered flights arranged by Washington for those unable to secure travel.
Officials said the U.S. government organised nearly 50 charter evacuation flights from several Middle Eastern countries to help Americans who faced difficulties leaving due to flight disruptions and security concerns.
A senior State Department official noted that the evacuation programme was part of a broader contingency plan to protect U.S. citizens abroad during the crisis.
“Since the start of the conflict, approximately 47,000 U.S. citizens have departed the Middle East, the vast majority on commercial flights, while others used government-facilitated options,” the official said.
The United States also approved up to $40 million in emergency funds to support evacuation and assistance efforts for its nationals in the region.
The security situation across parts of the Middle East has remained volatile, with U.S. diplomatic missions warning of potential missile and drone attacks by Iran-aligned groups, particularly in countries hosting American military facilities.
In response, the U.S. government issued updated travel advisories urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to several countries in the region and to register with American embassies for emergency assistance.
Despite the scale of the evacuation effort, U.S. officials indicated that demand for special flights has begun to decline as commercial airlines gradually resume normal operations, allowing more Americans to leave the region independently.
The State Department said it would continue to monitor the security situation and maintain evacuation arrangements should conditions deteriorate further.
