U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told workers at the country's embassy that they can leave the country and if they wish to do so they "should do so TODAY."
In an email to staffers reported by The New York Times, Huckabee said the message resulted from an "abundance of caution," but those wishing to leave should book a flight out of Ben-Gurion Airport to any destination possible.
He went on to say that the move could "result in high demand for airline seats today." "Focus on getting a seat to anyplace from which you can then continue travel to DC, but the first priority will be getting expeditiously out of country."
The authorization reaches nonessential personnel and their dependents to evacuate the country at the government's expense. Huckabee emphasized that while "there is no need to panic," those who want to leave need to make plans "sooner than later."
The outlet noted that Dutch airline KLM has already suspended flights to Israel citing "commercial and operational considerations."
The development follows a new round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva on Thursday. Iranian officials and Omani mediators said talks will continue next week, but U.S: negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner remained silent. So did the White House.
Should the Trump administration decide to strike Iran, Israel will more than likely be targeted in retaliation.
Trump said during his State of the Union address that even though he would rather deescalate tensions through diplomacy, "one thing is certain": "I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon."
In another passage of the speech, Trump said at least 32,000 people were killed by the regime during the protests that took place earlier this year.
Other reports from the past days have detailed that President Donald Trump has been presented with options to strike Iran if the decision is made that talks are unfruitful. Reuters noted that some include targeting regime individuals, and Washington could also pursue regime change if the president gives the order.
The Wall Street Journal also detailed that Trump is considering a limited strike on Iran to force the regime into accepting a nuclear deal.
The strike would target military or government sites but fall short of a full-scale attack that could trigger a major retaliation.
Should that scenario take place and Tehran still refused to comply with Washington's demands, Trump could order a broader campaign that could potentially seek to overthrow the regime.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
