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US warns its residents amid evacuation from Israel as Americans narrate harrowing ordeal; ‘If given an option…’
Following Trump's airstrikes on Iran, US citizens are advised to leave Israel. Ambassador Huckabee emphasizes the risks of Iranian retaliation.
US President Donald Trump's airstrikes on Iran's three primary nuclear sites have prompted US citizens to depart Israel.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, advised US citizens in Israel to leave the country before possible Iranian retaliation.
“The Department of State has begun assisted departure flights from Israel,” Huckabee stated. “With airspace mostly closed, the challenges are great. If given an option, TAKE IT.”
El Al, an Israeli airline, stated on Saturday that it would provide 50 seats on airplanes leaving from Tel Aviv to eight cities, including New York and Los Angeles, to anybody who wanted to leave the area starting from Monday.
This comes after President Trump on Saturday announced that the US had successfully attacked the nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan after sending B-2 stealth bombers to the area.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors,” the US President wrote on Truth Social.
Trump was prepared to address the nation at 10 pm on Saturday night.
Several Americans attempting to leave Israel
On Saturday, US embassy consular personnel began registering the departures of dozens of Americans who had been attempting to depart Israel at a hotel in central Israel.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said on social media earlier this week that the embassy was setting up evacuation ships and planes for Americans who wanted to evacuate.
Over 25,000 individuals have asked the State Department for information about the “situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Iran,” according to US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. According to Huckabee, there are around 700,000 Americans residing in Israel.
Some Americans in the hotel told CNN, the embassy had arranged flights to Athens, from where they could board aircraft back to the US. However, the exact timing of those flights departure was unknown.
Dual American-Israeli citizens share horrific experience
Dual American-Israeli nationals Karen and Omri Mamon arrived in Israel in May to attend Omri's sister's wedding. However, the duo had no idea that they would wind up spending their vacation roaming around for a search of a place to stay.
Israel's unexpected strike on Iran, which occurred a week after the wedding, caused both airspaces to close as missiles started to pass over the sky. The majority of flights from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv were canceled, keeping many people stuck in Israel.
“The first night, we went down to the shelter three times, and since then, we’re just jumping between houses trying to find safe rooms. We’ve been trying to find a way out of Israel back home to Florida since then,” Omri Mamon said while speaking to CNN.
Describing the fear, Manon said, “The bombs are bigger, the noises are extremely high … you hear bombs everywhere.”
The 18-year-old daughter of Elana Hayman, who traveled from Los Angeles to Israel with her family for a holiday in the start of June, opened up about the terrifying experience, saying: “It was really bad. I was really scared. I just wanted to find any way to leave. … It’s a scary time to be here right now.”
