US says assisting American citizens to evacuate Middle East

The US State Department said Tuesday that it is assisting American citizens in departing the Middle East to return home, calling it a "historic action."

"The Department is facilitating charter flights and will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions allow. Where commercial aviation options remain available, the Department is actively helping American citizens book those tickets," the statement said.

For people in countries where commercial flights aren't available, the department is helping arrange travel to other countries when possible, including expanding ground transportation options for American citizens who want to leave Israel.

"The Department is answering calls from American citizens in the Middle East and continues to provide travel options for those wishing to leave. The Department will also waive any statutory requirement for American citizens to reimburse the government for travel expenses," the statement added.

Hostilities in the region escalated after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. In response, Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

Pakistan hosted the first round of peace talks on April 11 after brokering a two-week ceasefire on April 8, which is set to expire on Wednesday. A second round of negotiations is expected this week, also in Islamabad.