Thousands of Americans are stranded in Middle East since start of Iran war with no clear way out

Thousands of Americans have been trapped in the Middle East since the US and Israel began their surprise military attack on Iran – and many are desperately pleading with the US government on social media to get them out.Follow live updates on the US and Israel’s war with IranTech executive Soups Ranjan, who had arrived in Dubai on a business trip on Feb.25, was four hours into a United Emirates flight heading home on Saturday when the plane was forced to turn around after missiles began flying.“We were actually over Iran’s airspace at the time,” he told The Post.

“Luckily the pilot kept everyone calm.” Now, Ranjan is among thousands of Americans are flooding members of Congress and the State Department with frantic calls and emails to be evacuated from the region.US Rep.Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) saw Ranjan’s LinkedIn post and sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday asking what the government is doing to help.The State Department said Wednesday that 17,500 American citizens have returned to the US from the Middle East – with over 8,500 returning yesterday alone.

The department also said it assisted 6,500 Americans abroad, including offering security guidance.On Tuesday Secretary Rubio said 1,500 Americans are requesting assistance.The government is “implementing plans to help Americans in the Middle East to be able to depart,” he said during a press briefing.The government has “identified” charter, military and commercial flights and is “working with airlines to send bigger airplanes with more seats.”A couple of planes that were on their way to the region had to turn around after their air space was closed, Rubio said.

Ranjan, for one booked a dozen flights after his first one was diverted.All of the flights were canceled, he posted on LinkedIn.“After four days of adrenalin and constant fear, I feel demoralized and abandoned by our government,” wrote Ranjan, who is co-founder and CEO of a Berkeley, Calif.-based...