More than 43,000 American citizens have safely returned to the U.S. from the Middle East since the U.S. struck Iran 11 days ago, the State Department said Wednesday. Why it matters: Despite widespread panic among Americans abroad last week after the State Department encouraged citizens to immediately evacuate various countries, the agency now says its scaling back assistance due to declining demand. What they're saying: State Department Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson said in a statement Wednesday that the agency has completed more than three dozen charter flights to evacuate Americans.He added that the State Department contacted almost 9,000 Americans in the United Arab Emirates to offer seats on U.S. government charter flights, but many of those flights departed with empty seats due to limited interest. "Most Americans who requested assistance have declined assistance when offered, opting either to remain in country or book commercial flight options," the statement said. Yes, but: In the days after the war began, thousands of Americans struggled to book commercial flights as airports suspended operations after many were hit by strikes. Americans in 14 countries and two Palestinian territories in the Middle East were advised to leave immediately due to "serious safety risks."The State Department encouraged Americans abroad to call a hotline to request immediate assistance in an emergency and follow the agency on social media for the latest updates. Go deeper: State Department organizing flights for Americans fleeing Middle East