Governments scramble to evacuate their citizens from Israel and Iran

Governments around the world are evacuating thousands of their nationals caught up in the rapidly spiralling Israel-Iran conflict, organising buses and planes and in some cases assisting people crossing borders on foot.

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Foreigners have rushed to leave both countries after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign last Friday targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, sparking retaliation from Tehran.

With Israel’s air space closed and the two countries exchanging heavy missile fire, many people are being evacuated via neighbouring countries.

Europe

European countries have already repatriated hundreds of their citizens from Israel.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia said on Tuesday they had taken 181 people home on government planes.

“It was not possible to send the army plane straight to Israel,” the Czech defence ministry said in a statement, citing the air space closure. “The evacuees were taken to an airport in a neighbouring country by buses. They crossed the border on foot.”

The German government said flights were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday via Jordan, while Poland said the first of its citizens were due to arrive back on Wednesday.

Greece said it had repatriated 105 of its citizens plus a number of foreign nationals via Egypt, while a private plane with 148 people landed in the Bulgarian capital Sophia on Tuesday.

United States

The US ambassador to Israel on Wednesday announced plans for evacuating Americans by air and sea.