American diplomatic personnel stationed in Israel received urgent instructions Friday to evacuate immediately if they wish to leave the country, as military tensions continue to escalate throughout the Middle East region.
In an internal communication sent to embassy workers, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee informed staff that Washington officials had approved voluntary departures for personnel wanting to exit Israel.
According to a source familiar with the embassy operations who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press, Huckabee’s message was distributed before 10:30 a.m. Friday morning. The communication stressed the urgency for staff members to secure any available flights departing Israel and subsequently travel back to Washington.
“Those wishing to take AD should do so TODAY,” Huckabee stated in his message, referring to the military term “authorized departure.”
“While there may be outbound flights over the coming days, there may not be,” he continued.
The ambassador emphasized that while panic wasn’t necessary, personnel desiring to leave should make arrangements without delay.
This directive followed Thursday’s breakdown in nuclear discussions between Iran and the United States, which concluded without reaching an agreement. Major airlines including Netherlands-based KLM have already declared intentions to halt service from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, while additional foreign missions have implemented similar evacuation protocols for Israel and surrounding nations.
Australia took action Wednesday, ordering “the departure of all dependents of Australian officials posted to Israel in response to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.” Meanwhile, India and multiple European nations with diplomatic presence in Iran have warned their citizens against traveling to that country.
During a staff meeting held Friday following his initial message, Huckabee mentioned his efforts to persuade airlines to maintain flight operations.
These evacuation authorizations represent an escalation in emergency preparedness as substantial U.S. military assets, including aircraft and naval vessels, gather throughout the Middle East.
Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s foreign minister serving as a mediator in ongoing negotiations, indicated that meaningful advancement occurred Thursday, despite the absence of public announcements from Iranian and American representatives regarding any breakthroughs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declined to provide specifics Thursday but stated “what needs to happen has been clearly spelled out from our side.”
