• U.S. citizens in Southern Lebanon are urged to register with the U.S. embassy online at https://travelregistration.state.gov or by fax at +961 4 544 209 or +961 4 544 037.

• We urge all American citizens who want help during the assisted departure process -- or who need to register with the Embassy -- to register with the U.S. Embassy by phone at 202-501-4444 from overseas, or at 1-888-407-4747 if calling from the U.S. and Canada. Messages regarding the evacuation are also being posted on http://travel.state.gov

• Buses will be provided to transport U.S. citizens in Southern Lebanon to ships for departure.

JULY 22, 2006 - 23:00 Local Time (GMT+0200)

Status Report

An American family ready to depart from Paphos airport

As of 1600 EDT July 22, approximately 10,000 American Citizens have been transported out of Lebanon by the United States since Sunday, July 16.

• Orient Queen is expected in Limassol, Cyprus at 01:00, July 23, but due to port scheduling, it will not offload until approximately 07:00.

• The Rahmah, a Saudi-owned, Panamanian-flagged, passenger vessel carrying 642 Americans and 121 Canadians has reached Limassol, Cyprus, and began unloading at 19:15 local time. Passengers will be transported via bus to Nicosia Fairgrounds.

• USS Whidbey Island is be transporting passengers from Beirut to Cyprus.

• The USS Nashville has departed Lebanon carrying approximately 1000 passengers, most of whom are American.

• About 2,000 people have returned to the United States. Another 500 are anticipated to arrive late today to early tomorrow, July 23.

• We will continue to transport Americans using all resources available.

• Delta Airlines has shown private sector leadership by transporting U.S. citizens from Larnaca, Cyprus to Atlanta, Georgia at the nominal cost of $1.

• The U.S. Air Force Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) will support the Department of State airlift efforts.

• TRANSCOM will arrange commercial charter aircraft and military aircraft to transport American citizens from Cyprus and Turkey to the United States. Commercial flights will terminate at BWI and PHL.

• Eight military flights will depart from Cyprus, transit through Ramstein Air Force Base, and terminate at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.

With these assets, we anticipate increasing the daily outflow of American citizens. We estimate that up to 1,815 people will depart Beirut today.

In this extraordinary case, Secretary Rice has directed the State Department to waive the requirement for American citizens departing Lebanon to reimburse the State Department for travel costs.

The State Department is working with partners in the Department of Defense, the private sector, and friends and allies around the world to assist transporting Americans in the safest manner possible.

JULY 22, 2006 - 17:00 Local Time (GMT+0200)

Status Report

• International press crews covered the departure of Americans at Paphos airport

  As of 1000 EDT July 22, approximately 7,500 American Citizens have been transported out of Lebanon by the United States since Sunday, July 16.

• On July 21, over 1800 people departed Beirut on the USS Trenton. An additional 95 citizens were transported to Cyprus by U.S. Military helicopters.

• The MS Ramah, a Saudi-owned, Panamanian-flagged, passenger vessel carrying 642 Americans and 121 Canadians departed Beirut around 0400 Beirut time. It was en route to Turkey but faced engine problems and has been diverted to Cyprus instead. Expected to arrive at 02:00 local time, July 23.

• The USS Nashville has departed Lebanon carrying approximately 1000 passengers, most of whom are American.

• The USS Trenton has transported over 1800 people to Cyprus.

• The Orient Queen and USS Whidbey Island will be transporting passengers from Beirut beginning today, July 22.

• Orient Queen destination is Cyprus, expected to arrive late hours July 22 or early hours of July 23.

• About 1000 people have returned to the United States. Another 1500 are anticipated to arrive tomorrow, July 23.

• We will continue to transport Americans using all resources available.

• We are now establishing operations at Mersin, Turkey to serve as an additional transportation hub to serve a greater number of American citizens.

• The U.S. Air Force Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) will support the Department of State airlift efforts. TRANSCOM will arrange commercial charter aircraft and military aircraft to transport American citizens from Cyprus and Turkey to the United States. Commercial flights will terminate at BWI and PHL.

• Eight military flights will depart from Cyprus, transit through Ramstein Air Force Base, and terminate at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.

• With these assets, we anticipate increasing the daily outflow of American citizens. We estimate that up to 1,600 people will depart Beirut today.

• In this extraordinary case, Secretary Rice has directed the State Department to waive the requirement for American citizens departing Lebanon to reimburse the State Department for travel costs.

Photo gallery of Americans departing from Paphos airport on July 22, 2006

JULY 22, 2006 - 00:30 Local Time (GMT+0200)

Status Report

• Ambassador Ronald Schlicher visited Paphos Airport, where many Americans were waiting to depart, on their way back to the U.S.

  As of 1 p.m., July 21 the U.S. Press Center and the team onsite have worked together to facilitate roughly 25 interviews from approximately 10 different outlets - from U.S., wire, and international press.

  Over 5,700 American citizens have been transported out of Lebanon by the United States since Sunday, July 16, 2006.

• Three charter flights arrived today at Baltimore-Washington International Airport the morning of July 21, carrying 697 people. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Red Cross, Maryland state government, local, and federal officials provided assistance.

• Our facilities on Cyprus consist of air-conditioned buildings with cots that can hold up to 2,300 people. We are also providing tents for another 1,000. U.S. officials on Cyprus are trying to process up to 2,000 citizens a day for flights back to the United States.

• We are now establishing operations at Mersin, Turkey to serve as an additional transportation hub for American citizens to serve a greater number of American citizens. The first group of departing Americans is expected to arrive in Mersin on Saturday, July 22.

• From July 21 onward, we will continue to use charter flights from Cyprus as well as US military aircraft, which will take passengers from Cyprus or Incirlik Air Base in Turkey (Adana).

• We will continue to transport Americans using all resources available. The assets assigned or contracted to help in this effort include:

• The MS Ramah, a Saudi-owned, Panamanian-flagged, passenger vessel
• The Orient Queen
• The Vittoria M, a United States-chartered Italian passenger vessel
• Canadian chartered ships
• Canadian ship Blue Dawn
• The USS Nashville
• The USS Iwo Jima
• The USS Whidbey Island
• The USS Trenton
• The USS Swift

• In this extraordinary case, Secretary Rice has directed the State Department to waive the requirement for American citizens departing Lebanon to reimburse the State Department for travel costs.

• The State Department is working with partners in the Department of Defense, the private sector, and friends and allies around the world to assist transporting Americans in the safest manner possible.

Photo gallery from Ambassador Ronald Schlicher's visit to Paphos airport (below)

Special Briefing With Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty and Department of Defence Deputy Director for Regional Operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Brigadier General Barbero (complete text)

The U.S. Government is using all resources possible to facilitate the speedy and safe departure of American citizens currently in Lebanon using every means available. The departure of every single American citizen who wishes to leave Lebanon is the first priority for the U.S. Government. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defence are ensuring that all available military, civilian, and private sector resources in the region are being directed to accomplish this goal. The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has made possible the departure of over 1,500 American citizens via helicopter and cruise ship in the past four days. Urgent medical need cases are still the first priority. (complete text)

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton addressed journalists in New York after a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East on Thursday, July 20. The United States is "looking for a solution that will fundamentally change the reality in the region and spare the peoples of Israel and Lebanon, in particular, from the threat of terrorism," Bolton said. (complete text)