9,000 Americans have left Middle East since start of conflict

A tall plume of black smoke ascends following an explosion in the Fujairah industrial zone, March 3, 2026. (AFP)

• Rubio ‌said ​⁠that ​all US personnel ⁠in the UAE were accounted for

WASHINGTON: ​US Secretary of ‌State Marco ‌Rubio ​said ‌on ⁠Tuesday ​that approximately ⁠9,000 Americans had ⁠evacuated ‌the ‌Middle ​East ‌since the ‌start ‌of US-Israeli strikes on ⁠Iran on Saturday.
Rubio also ‌said ​⁠that ​all personnel ⁠were accounted for ⁠after ‌an Iranian ‌drone ​struck ‌a parking ‌lot adjacent ‌to the US consulate ⁠in Dubai on Tuesday. Around 1,600 Americans in the Middle East are currently requesting assistance, he added.