More than 43,000 United States citizens have returned home from the Middle East following the outbreak of conflict with Iran, the U.S. State Department confirmed.

During a briefing on Tuesday, March 10, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that specialized initiatives were launched to ensure the safe return of citizens since the escalation began on February 28.

According to Pigott, a dedicated task force has directly assisted approximately 30,000 of those who have returned to date.

The State Department further noted that while over two dozen charter flights were organized to facilitate the evacuation, these flights operated at an average capacity of less than 40%.

Officials attributed this to the fact that many Americans opted to return independently via commercial airlines.

Evacuation efforts via charter flights and land routes remain active. The U.S. government reiterated that any citizen requiring assistance in leaving the region can still submit an application for aid.