(DC Bureau) – The State Department is working to evacuate thousands of Americans from the Middle East as U.S. and Israeli forces strike Iran. The efforts come as Iran retaliates against the strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that officials are using multiple strategies to assist citizens trying to leave the region. "It'll be a variety of methods," Rubio told reporters on Tuesday. "Charter flights, military flights and transports, expanded commercial opportunities, and in some cases land routes, that will allow them to go to neighboring countries who might have open airports at that point." According to Rubio, approximately 9,000 Americans have already left the region, while another 1,500 individuals are currently requesting assistance to evacuate. While he expressed confidence in the mission, Rubio noted that external factors like regional safety protocols are impacting the timeline. He highlighted that the U.S. does not have full authority over the regions where flights are occurring. "It's going to take a little time because we don't control the airspace closures," he said. President Trump addressed questions regarding why a comprehensive evacuation plan was not established earlier, saying the rapid escalation of the conflict influenced the preparation window. "Well, because it happened all very quickly," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked." To manage the volume of requests, the State Department has established a 24/7 task force. Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the team is working continuously to find viable paths out of the conflict zone. "Every single second, we are identifying more options for people to leave the region, should they wish to do so," Pigott said. "So please call." The State Department is urging all Americans remaining in the region to register for updates through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so they can be reached for evacuation. Those in need of assistance are encouraged to call the department's task force at +1-202-501-4444. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published