The Department of State (DoS) issued a statement today from Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson, ensuring the State Department’s role in keeping American citizens in the Middle East safe.
DoS confirmed that since Feb. 28, more than 17,500 American citizens have returned safely to the U.S. from the Middle East, with over 8,500 American citizens returning to the U.S. on Mar. 3 alone.
“Many more Americans have left the Middle East to other countries in Europe and Asia, and others have safely departed the Middle East but are still in transit back to the United States,” the statement adds.
DoS also announced its role in assisting nearly 6,500 Americans abroad, through its 24/7 Task Force, “offering security guidance and travel assistance” to those in need.
“The U.S. State Department will continue to actively assist any American citizen abroad, who wishes to depart the Middle East, to do so,” the media note affirmed.
Assistant Secretary Johnson’s statement comes amid the U.S. and Israel’s recent joint kinetic military campaign against Iran. On Feb. 28, the two nations struck Iranian military bases as part of the U.S.’s “Operation Epic Fury,” leading to the death of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Further Developments Following the Launch of "Operation Epic Fury"
On Tuesday, State Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with The Floridian Publisher Javier Manjarres, before entering a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) with federal officials to discuss military operations against Iran, affirming the legality and the objectives of the Trump administration’s military operations.
“We’re going to destroy their missiles, we’re going to destroy their missile launchers, we’re going to destroy their missile factories, we’re going to destroy their Navy, and when we’re done with those objectives, the mission will be complete,” Secretary Rubio commented.
Concurrently, the Senate is scheduled to vote today on a War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s executive power in the conflict.
