WASHINGTON, July 22: Some 7,500 Americans have been evacuated from Lebanon this week and 1,600 more were to leave on Sunday amid Israel’s continuing offensive, the State Department said on Saturday.

On Friday, more than 3,000 people left Lebanon, the department said in a statement. The US government has been chartering ships and using helicopters and warships to transport people to Cyprus and Turkey.

The US Air Force Transportation Command was then to arrange for commercial flights from Cyprus and Turkey to Baltimore/Washington International and Philadelphia International airports for American evacuees, the statement said.

Some 1,000 evacuees have already returned to the United States.—AFP