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As Iranian missiles and drones retaliated against the United States’ strikes earlier this month, U.S. diplomats in the region were still largely in place—as were the likely hundreds of thousands of American citizens who visit or live in the Middle East.

“It was a predictable contingency that there should have been planning for,” said Yael Lempert, a former U.S. ambassador who oversaw evacuation efforts from Libya during its 2011 revolution. “It’s kind of fundamental in emergency planning that you move nonessential diplomatic personnel and families out early while commercial flights are still available.”

As Iranian missiles and drones retaliated against the United States’ strikes earlier this month, U.S. diplomats in the region were still largely in place—as were the likely hundreds of thousands of American citizens who visit or live in the Middle East.

“It was a predictable contingency that there should have been planning for,” said Yael Lempert, a former U.S. ambassador who oversaw evacuation efforts from Libya during its 2011 revolution. “It’s kind of fundamental in emergency planning that you move nonessential diplomatic personnel and families out early while commercial flights are still available.”

Ultimately, no U.S. diplomats or American civilians were killed due to the delayed evacuations, and the State Department arranged almost 50 charter flights by March 12 as well as provided either guidance or assistance to nearly 50,000 U.S. citizens.

“Our highest priority is the safety and security of Americans, including our diplomats. Many hundreds of experienced personnel have been working 24/7 to live up to this commitment,” Tommy Pigott, State Department principal deputy spokesperson, told Foreign Policy.

Still, U.S. citizens were placed at a higher level of risk than was necessary, argued five former State Department officials. The officials, who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, suggested that there had likely been a breakdown in State Department operations—from a lack of qualified senior staff in the region to a perceived elevation of loyalty above experience within the department.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that his administration did not make more moves to evacuate Americans before the war began because “it happened all very quickly.” But, in fact, the White House had been preparing for the war for weeks prior to the first attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

By Feb. 18, the United States had built up a massive military force in the Middle East amid negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. On Feb. 23, the U.S. evacuated nonessential staff from the embassy in Lebanon, where Iran supports the militant group Hezbollah, and then did the same in Israel on Feb. 27.

When U.S. and Israeli bombs struck Iran on Feb. 28, however, most other U.S. embassies in the region were fully staffed. U.S. Embassy advice to U.S. citizens in the region recommended caution for many countries but did not advise against travel. The United Arab Emirates, a major tourism destination, was set at the same level of caution as France, as was Jordan—while Qatar’s level of caution........

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