Global Evacuations Underway as Israel-Iran Conflict Escalates
As hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify, governments around the world have launched emergency evacuation operations to repatriate thousands of citizens stranded in the conflict zone. With both nations exchanging heavy missile fire and Israel’s airspace closed following Friday’s unprecedented Israeli bombing of Iranian nuclear and military targets, foreign nationals are being evacuated through neighboring countries by air, sea, and land.
Countries across Europe have already mobilized swift responses. The Czech Republic and Slovakia announced the successful repatriation of 181 citizens via military planes, though evacuees had to cross borders on foot due to restricted air access. Germany scheduled evacuation flights via Jordan, while Poland confirmed that its first group of citizens would return on Wednesday. Greece repatriated 105 nationals along with several foreigners via Egypt, and a private charter carrying 148 evacuees landed in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.
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In the United States, Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that the embassy is arranging “evacuation flights and cruise ship departures” for Americans seeking to leave Israel. The U.S. joins a growing list of countries navigating complex and dangerous logistics to extract their citizens.
China reported the evacuation of more than 1,600 nationals from Iran and several hundred from Israel. The Chinese foreign ministry assured that diplomatic missions would continue to facilitate safe transfers wherever possible.
Australia, facing similar challenges, has begun efforts to evacuate around 1,500 citizens from Iran and over 1,200 from Israel. Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized the difficulty of using civilian aircraft in current conditions, noting that some Australians were successfully evacuated from Israel via land routes. “It is too risky to fly in or out under current circumstances,” she stated.
India, which has significant populations in both countries, also reported progress. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 110 students who crossed the Iranian border into Armenia had safely arrived in New Delhi. Approximately 10,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran and about 30,000 in Israel, according to the Indian embassy.
Japan has placed military transport aircraft on standby to evacuate roughly 1,000 Japanese citizens in Israel and another 280 in Iran, reflecting Tokyo’s preparedness for a rapid response.
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