WASHINGTON DC, USA – United States-arranged flights have evacuated about 250 U.S. citizens and their relatives from Lebanon this week as escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah continues to threaten the region.
However, thousands of U.S. citizens remain in Lebanon, facing airstrikes, diminishing commercial flight options, and logistical challenges.
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, senior officials from the State Department and the White House met with Michigan state Rep. Alabas Farhat and Abed Ayoub, executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, to discuss efforts to help Americans leave Lebanon.
Michigan, home to the largest Arab American population in the U.S., has been a focal point for calls to expedite the evacuation of U.S. citizens from the conflict zone.
“We really drove home a lot of important points about the issues our community members are facing on the ground,” Ayoub said, citing logistical problems with the evacuation.
Calls for U.S. Military Evacuation
Some Michigan officials and community leaders have urged the U.S. government to initiate a full-scale military evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon.
However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh indicated that such a measure is not currently under consideration.
“Should we need to evacuate American citizens out of Lebanon, we absolutely can,” Singh said, adding that the U.S. military is ready but has not been called upon.
Other countries, including Greece, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Colombia, have already sent military planes to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon.
Struggles for U.S. Citizens
For many U.S. citizens in Lebanon, the situation has become increasingly dire.
Kamel Ahmad Jawad, a metro Detroit resident, was killed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
His daughter, Nadine Kamel Jawad, recounted the moment he was struck by an airstrike while on the phone with her.
“He simply got up, found his phone, and told me he needed to finish praying in case another strike hit him,” she said.
The State Department has long advised Americans to avoid travelling to Lebanon and has urged those in the country to leave on commercial flights.
However, as commercial options dwindle, Americans are left scrambling for alternatives.
Some, like Rebecca Abou-Chedid, a Washington-based lawyer, have paid exorbitant prices to secure flights. Abou-Chedid paid $5,000 for her relative to leave Beirut just as Israeli airstrikes intensified.
Others, like Jenna Shami in Dearborn, Michigan, have faced difficulty contacting the U.S. Embassy or finding commercial flights.
Shami’s family members struggled to leave Lebanon as flights were canceled, and prices skyrocketed.
The embassy offered loans for charter flights, but no planes were available to hire.
U.S. Evacuation Efforts
The U.S. government has continued to organize evacuation flights for those who remain.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines, set aside 1,400 seats for Americans over the past week.
Several hundred had used these seats, and Miller confirmed that the U.S. would continue organizing flights as long as there is demand and the security situation remains volatile.
Miller also addressed the costs of the flights, explaining that the cost of U.S.-organised contract flights would not exceed $283 per person.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut is offering temporary loans to Americans who wish to relocate to safer areas within Lebanon or to leave the country entirely.
More than 6,000 American citizens have contacted the U.S. Embassy seeking information about evacuating Lebanon, though not all have requested immediate assistance.
Many are dual nationals or long-term residents of the country who may choose to stay despite the ongoing conflict.
With the situation in Lebanon deteriorating and the threat of further regional escalation, the U.S. continues to grapple with the challenge of ensuring the safety of its citizens while navigating complex logistical hurdles.
