With Possible Iran Strike Looming, U.S. Says Staff Can Leave Israel, Urging Speed

New York Times ^ | February 25, 2026 | Natan Odenheimer and David M. Halbfinger

[Miami Rebel]

With the threat of a U.S. strike on Iran looming, the United States embassy in Jerusalem has told its workers that they may leave Israel and warned them that if they want to, it is vital that they do so immediately, according to an email from Ambassador Mike Huckabee sent to the U.S. mission Friday.

The move followed meetings and phone calls through the night, Mr. Huckabee told embassy workers in the email, and resulted from “an abundance of caution” and conversations with the State Department in which officials agreed that the safety of embassy staff was a priority.

Those wishing to leave “should do so TODAY,” Mr. Huckabee wrote in the email, sent at 10:24 a.m. local time. He urged them to find a flight out of Ben-Gurion Airport to any destination for which they could book passage.

The embassy’s move “will likely result in high demand for airline seats today,” he said in the email, a copy of which was reviewed by The New York Times. “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.”

He added that while there might be more outbound flights in the coming days, there also might not be.

The email was verified by three people with knowledge of the matter.

In the email, Mr. Huckabee told embassy employees that the mission had shifted to an “authorized departure” footing as of 10 a.m. Friday. That allows nonessential personnel and their dependents to evacuate at the government’s expense when “U.S. national interests or imminent threat to life requires it,” according to State Department regulations.

Mr. Huckabee told embassy workers that he would hold a town-hall meeting to provide additional information at 12:30 p.m.

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TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: davidmhalbfinger; hamas; hezbollah; iran; irgc; israel; natanodenheimer; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; rumorsofwar; tds; tdsposter; yemen

[metmom]

Here is a link to a site called Behold Israel.

https://beholdisrael.org/

The man who runs it is Amir Tsarfati, a Messianic Jew and former IDF captain. He has updates on his Telegram account that are very current and provides information that you cannot find elsewhere.

It’s best to sign up through that site if you wish, or just go there to read it, as there are fake accounts out there as with everyone. He also does instagram and IIRC facebook but since I don’t do either, I’m not sure about facebook.

LOTS of countries, including China, have ordered the evacuation of their citizens. It looks like things are coming to quiet the head over there.

[montag813]

Also: China tells its citizens in Iran to ‘evacuate as soon as possible’

[libertylover]

Why not charter a big ole (American) plane to take them out?