Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that the Department of State's priority is to ensure the safety of American citizens worldwide amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
In a message directed specifically at Americans in that region, Rubio stated that following the onset of the military operation dubbed Epic Fury and the attacks he attributed to Iran against Gulf countries, the State Department activated a task force that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to his explanation, this special force was established under his instruction to enhance personnel and resources with the goal of providing updated security information to American citizens.
The secretary urged those residing in or traveling to the Middle East to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, known as STEP, via the website step.state.gov.
He noted that registration is essential for embassies and consulates to directly contact citizens in case of an emergency.
Rubio also recommended following the updates from the security channel for U.S. citizens on WhatsApp and the official social media accounts under the handle TravelGov, in addition to checking the website travel.state.gov for the latest alerts.
Finally, she recalled that the State Department has a 24-hour helpline for emergencies, available at 1-202-501-4444, to assist Americans in the region.
Also on Monday, Rubio stated that there was an “absolutely imminent threat” from Iran and defended the decision to take preventive action to avoid greater American casualties.
In statements made to Fox News, Rubio explained that intelligence assessments indicated that if Iran were attacked, it would respond immediately against U.S. interests and forces.
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