Operational secrecy kept the US from making evacuation plans – and that means Americans in the Mideast could wait days

A longtime diplomat explains how the State Department normally encourages and helps Americans to leave countries amid political instability and war – which didn’t happen over the last week.

By: Donald Heflin, Tufts University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 5, 2026

Words: 1,330

Last Updated: 4 days, 13 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Donald Heflin, Tufts University

As the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, American citizens living in or visiting the Middle East found themselves stranded in countries facing bombing attacks by Iran. The State Department on March 2, 2026, urged Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to leave via “available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks.” But commercial air travel and airports were shut down in many of those places and …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.
Register for Free Log in