U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced Wednesday that the United States is arranging evacuation options for its citizens in Israel, amid growing concerns over a possible American military strike against Iran.
Posting on X, Huckabee said the U.S. Embassy is coordinating “evacuation flights and cruise ship departures” for citizens wishing to leave. He urged Americans seeking evacuation to register through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Until now, the U.S. had held off on organizing departures as tensions escalated between Israel and Iran. Just hours before Huckabee’s post, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem stated on X that it had “no announcement about assisting private U.S. citizens to depart at this time,” although it confirmed contingency planning was underway.
The shift in stance comes after days of signals from President Donald Trump and the White House indicating possible U.S. intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict. The administration is reportedly considering strikes on Iran’s deeply buried nuclear sites—targets Israel is not equipped to destroy alone. Israel maintains these strikes are essential to halt Iran’s alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran, however, insists its nuclear program is purely civilian.
President Trump told reporters Wednesday he had not yet made a decision. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said at the White House.
Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned of severe consequences if the U.S. intervenes militarily. “The harm the US will suffer will definitely be irreparable if they enter this conflict militarily,” he posted on X.
