US charter flight repatriating Americans from Middle East, State Department says

March 4 (Reuters) - A U.S. government charter flight was bringing Americans to the United States from the Middle East, and additional flights were being arranged for locations across the region, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

The agency provided no details on the number of passengers aboard the flight, the countries they were leaving or the departure and arrival times of the flight.

Since February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched initial strikes on Iran, more than 17,500 Americans have safely returned to the U.S. from the Middle East, including approximately 8,500 on Tuesday alone, the State Department said.

Many more U.S. citizens have left the Middle East to other countries in Europe and Asia since the start of the conflict, the department said.

On Monday, the State Department urged Americans across 14 countries in the Middle East to immediately depart the region using "available commercial transportation." However, many U.S. citizens face challenges due to global air travel disruptions caused by the war.

The situation prompted sharp criticism from some U.S. lawmakers who accused the State Department of inadequate planning and late warnings.

The department responded by saying it was "facilitating charter flights" from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for U.S. citizens in need of such assistance.