Flights for US citizens stuck in Middle East ramping up, State Dept says

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Trump replaces Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem Oil extends weekly gains as Iran conflict rages on, with crude surging around 18% Wall Street ends lower on escalating Iran conflict, report of AI export curbs Trump says he must be involved in selecting Iran’s next leader (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) Flights for US citizens stuck in Middle East ramping up, State Dept says By World Published 03/05/2026, 12:55 PM Updated 03/05/2026, 09:36 PM Flights for US citizens stuck in Middle East ramping up, State Dept says 0 By Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, March 5 - The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it was ramping up charter flights from the Middle East after criticism over the Trump administration’s planning and initial assistance to U.S. citizens trying to leave the region since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began. The strikes that began on Saturday and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on its neighbors have led to widespread airspace closures, clogging busy aviation routes throughout the region and leaving thousands stranded. Iran has fired missiles and drones toward U.S. diplomatic facilities in the region, leading several to be closed. On Thursday, the State Department announced the suspension of operations at the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, adding there had been no reported injuries to U.S. personnel. The department, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced on Wednesday the first U.S. government charter flight departed the region bound for the U.S., giving few details. "At the direction of @SecRubio, Department of State charter flight and ground transportation operations are underway and will continue to ramp up with additional flights and ground transports taking place today," Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a post on X on Thursday. It was unclear from which countries charter flights would be departing. American citizens in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emi...