Tuesday, October 24, 2023

US readies plans for mass evacuations if Gaza war escalates - Washington Post

The Biden administration is creating contingency plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of American citizens from the Middle East if the war in Israel spirals into a larger-scale conflict, according to a report in The Washington Post. 

American officials, speaking anonymously, told the paper that Americans living in Israel and Lebanon are of particular concern, amid regular exchanges of fire along the countries' border and concerns of a multi-front war.

Hezbollah attacks on Saturday killed Israeli Corporal Tamir Barak, 19, and wounded at least two foreign workers in Israel. The IDF responded using airstrikes, artillery, and infantry. Israel has also begun to evacuate citizens who live close to the border and to amass troops in case of a major attack from the north. 


"This has become a real issue," one official was quoted as saying. "The administration is very, very, very worried that this thing is going to get out of hand."

About 600,000 American citizens live in Israel, and the US has been working to ensure safe passage out of the country since the war with Hamas broke out on October 7. READ MORE