U.S. working to evacuate Americans stranded in Middle East as conflict with Iran intensifies

The U.S. government says it is working on multiple options to help Americans stranded in the Middle East as fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran continues.

(CNN)- The U.S. government says it is working on multiple options to help Americans stranded in the Middle East as fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran continues to escalate across the region.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the situation Tuesday, saying the State Department is exploring several ways to safely move Americans out of affected areas.

“It’s a lot of different things here that need to happen in order to move people,” Rubio said.

According to Rubio, evacuation efforts could include charter flights, military transport flights, expanded commercial airline options and even land routes to neighboring countries.

“It will be a variety of methods — charter flights, military flights and transports, expanded commercial opportunities and in some cases land routes that will allow them to go to neighboring countries,” Rubio said.

The Trump Administration has faced criticism from some Americans who say they are stranded overseas without clear evacuation plans.

President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that the rapid escalation of the conflict made it difficult to establish a coordinated evacuation plan.

Officials are urging Americans currently in the region to contact the State Department so the government can track their location and provide assistance if needed.

“It all starts by knowing where you are and how we can get a hold of you,” Rubio said.

The evacuation efforts come as military tensions continue to rise in the Middle East. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and other targets across the region following U.S. and Israeli attacks.

Officials say Iranian attacks have also targeted a U.S. consulate in Dubai and a U.S. air base in Qatar. Authorities say an Iranian ballistic missile struck the region’s largest U.S. military installation in Qatar, though no casualties were reported.

Meanwhile, sources say the Central Intelligence Agency is working to arm Kurdish forces operating along the Iraq–Iran border, with the goal of encouraging an uprising inside Iran.

The situation remains volatile as the conflict continues to unfold across the region.