With Israel under sustained aerial assault and war clouds thickening across the region, the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv is preparing evacuation options for American citizens, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee announced Wednesday. The effort comes as Israel reels from an unprecedented missile and drone barrage launched by Iran last week, a reprisal for Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets.
In a statement shared online, Ambassador Huckabee urged U.S. nationals in Israel to register immediately with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive real-time updates on evacuation logistics. “We are actively planning for multiple contingencies,” Huckabee noted, citing both air and sea routes—including possible cruise ship departures—as options under consideration.
Though the embassy has not released formal numbers, two U.S. officials confirmed that an initial evacuation flight carried out by the federal government successfully transported several American diplomats and their families out of the country. The operation, kept deliberately low-profile, marks the first known American extraction since the latest round of hostilities began.
Washington is not alone in scrambling to get its citizens out. Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Taiwan have already launched formal evacuations, using both chartered aircraft and land routes through Jordan. Slovakia’s first outbound flight, which departed Monday, returned to Bratislava with 73 passengers, including not only Slovak nationals but also citizens from neighboring European states.
Urgent notice! American citizens wanting to leave Israel- US Embassy in Israel @usembassyjlm is working on evacuation flights & cruise ship departures.
You must enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJ) You will be alerted w/ updates.— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 18, 2025
Inside Israel, wrote The Times of Israel, the government is working to mitigate the chaos. The Tourism Ministry has unveiled an online registration portal to help coordinate departure flights for the roughly 38,000 foreign tourists still in the country. The Ministry is working with hotels, tour operators, and local guides to manage the exodus.
With both sides showing no signs of restraint—and the potential for regional spillover growing—American officials say they are preparing for a drawn-out crisis. Additional evacuations are expected in the days ahead, as the U.S. joins allies in bracing for a broader confrontation.
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Americans leaving Israel for FL then home