When do the Israel evacuation flights start? The U.S. government will begin the transport for Americans and their immediate family members on Friday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement Thursday. People needing assistance were urged to fill out a form. According to a State Department notice, the charter flights will be to Athens, Greece or Frankfurt, Germany. The voyages by sea will be from Haifa, Israel, on the Mediterranean coast, to the country of Cyprus. People won't be able to choose where they go — they'll be assigned to the next available ride out. Once they arrive, they will then be able to make arrangements to travel on to their desired destination, Miller said.