WASHINGTON — As Iran escalates its retaliation against the United States, the Trump administration is facing heavy criticism for telling hundreds of thousands of Americans to evacuate the Middle East before arranging a way out for them. 

The State Department on Tuesday announced it would facilitate charter flights for US citizens in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and "will continue to secure additional capacity as security conditions allow." The move came a day after the department urged Americans in nearly every Middle Eastern country to “depart now” on commercial flights, despite the fact that many airlines have already suspended or limited service to and from the region. 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, President Donald Trump defended not having previously issued a region-wide evacuation order, claiming the war “happened very quickly”— even though the US military buildup in the region had been underway for weeks. A 24/7 task force set up by the State Department to provide Americans with consular assistance and safety information became operational on Saturday, multiple US officials told Al-Monitor.  

The State Department has advertised a hotline for Americans who need assistance arranging to depart via commercial means. But when Al-Monitor called the number late Tuesday afternoon, an automated message said to “not rely on the US government for assisted departure or evacuation at this time."