The State Department is helping U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents flee Israel as the country battles Iran, and Israeli officials prepare for a prolonged war.

Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, announced Saturday on social media that the State Department has begun “assisted departure flights” from Israel and the West Bank.

The State Department-led flights won’t be the first evacuations of Americans from Israel. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on social media Friday that his state worked with a group called Grey Bull Rescue to help evacuate more than 1,500 Americans from Israel.

“I was happy to be at Tampa International Airport this morning to welcome 160 evacuees home,” he said. 

Saturday’s announcement of assisted departure flights from Israel is the first such State Department offering since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023. The Middle East has been in the thick of war ever since. 

Last week, Israel bombed Iran, a backer of Hamas and other terrorist groups. 

Iran retaliated by firing more than 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Israel’s multitiered air defenses shot down most of them, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded.

Israel wants to decimate Iran’s nuclear program and cripple its regime. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of staff for the Israel Defense Forces, told the army to prepare for a “prolonged campaign,” according to Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, the IDF’s chief spokesman.

President Trump, who is set to meet with his national security team Saturday evening for an update on the Mideast fighting, is weighing whether to have the U.S. join Israel in striking Iran. 

Mr. Trump has said his goal is to ensure the Iranians never have a nuclear weapon, for which he said they have the material to assemble within weeks or months. 

The U.S. is the only country with bunker-buster bombs that can penetrate Iran’s underground nuclear enrichment facilities. 

Multiple B-2 bombers, the only aircraft that carry the 30,000-pound bunker bombs, flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri across the Pacific Ocean on Saturday.

It was unclear whether the move was a show of force or preparation for an eventual attack. 

Mr. Trump said Thursday he would give Iran two weeks to negotiate a nuclear deal before he decides whether to strike. 

• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.