Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, answered “Yes” on X when asked by a reporter if the visit was still on after the US Embassy in Jerusalem said it would allow non-essential staff and families of diplomats to leave the country as fears of war with Iran grow.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel from March 2-3, 2026,” department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

“The Secretary will discuss a range of regional priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza.”

In an email earlier Friday, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged embassy employees who wished to leave to do so “TODAY” — though he stressed this was out of “an abundance of caution” rather than any imminent military action.

Rubio’s trip comes amid rampant speculation about the timing of a possible American attack on Iran.

Huckabee urging his staff to flee appeared to hint that strikes could happen over the weekend — speculation boosted by the fact that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is reaching the Israeli coast Friday.

A weekend strike would align with Trump’s rough 10-day deadline for Iran to make a deal, which hits Sunday. Trump also has floated a 10-15-day timeframe, which could suggest the following weekend is more likely.

US and Iranian negotiators left Oman-mediated talks in Geneva without a deal Thursday, but with plans for a followup summit Monday in Vienna to discuss Trump’s demands for the theocratic government to abandon its nuclear program.