U.S. citizens also are among the estimated 150 hostages captured by Hamas during its shocking weekend assault on Israel.Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks before boarding a plane, Oct. 11, 2023, en route to Israel. Updated:WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. citizens confirmed to have been killed in thehas risen to at least 22 with at least 17 more Americans unaccounted for, the State Department said Wednesday.
Kirby said the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its ships would be an “available asset” if necessary. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, and its strike group have already arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean., the main sponsor of Hamas, and whether it was directly involved in the operation. But the U.S. has collected information that suggests senior Iranian government officials were caught off guard by the multipronged assault, according to a U.S.
With many airlines suspending commercial flights in and out of Israel because of the ongoing rocket and missile exchanges, Kirby said the United States was exploring “a range of other options” to assist Americans who want to leave, appearing to leave open the possibility of a U.S.-assisted evacuation.