On June 17, Israel issued a ban on citizens leaving the country amid the escalating conflict with Iran. The ban on exit is applied to all Israeli citizens due to concerns about Iran retaliating against Israeli airports. Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport has also been closed since June 13 until further notice.
Israel's surprise attack on Iran has led to the country's airspace closed to civil aviation activities, leaving Israeli citizens stranded abroad.
Facebook groups for overseas Israelis have been buzzing with calls for help as tens of thousands of tourists have fled the country ahead of the country's start of its offensive on Iran.
Israel launched an attack on Iran early on the morning of June 13. The surprise was a military order. Therefore, Israel suddenly closed its airspace to civil aviation activities.
Officials said they cannot provide exact figures on the number of Israelis abroad, but estimates range from 100,000 to 150,000. Officials added that it is not yet known how or when Israeli tourists abroad can return home.
On June 16, the Israeli Defense Ministry allowed some rescue flights to begin operations. But according to the ministry's spokesman, it could take up to 3 days after that for flights to start being deployed.
Although Israel has a long Mediterranean coastline and is quite close to famous tourist destinations such as Cyprus, there are no regular ferry services. Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said the government is discussing maritime options but no decision has been made.
Many stranded Israeli tourists are looking to return home across Israel's land borders with Jordan and Egypt. However, the Israel National Security Council recommends that citizens avoid those routes because of security risks related to the latest tensions in the region.
The council recommends that overseas Israelis wait for updates from the Ministry of Transport. The Israeli Ministry and the Airport Authority said they are working with airlines to bring citizens back home, but noted that time is needed.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has asked citizens abroad to register for detailed information on a digital platform. It is expected to take weeks to bring all Israelis who wish to return to Israel.
Israeli airlines have moved their flights out of the country. Travel in and out of Israel has been severely restricted following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The attack later led to fierce fighting in Gaza. Many international airlines have suspended flights to and from Israel. In that context, many tourists are also stranded in Israel.
