Evacuations Widen After Israel-Iran Airspace Closures

In response to escalating violence and closed airspace after Israel’s strike on Iran, international evacuation efforts have expanded to include multiple nationalities. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sponsored rescue flights for 1,500 mostly American Birthright Israel participants, who were evacuated by cruise ship to Cyprus with Israeli Navy escort and then flown to Florida. Germany arranged special flights from Amman for its citizens, and the Philippines is repatriating its nationals via Jordan. Israeli airline El Al has launched repatriation flights from Larnaca and other European cities to assist Israelis stranded abroad. Authorities and organizations are prioritizing humanitarian and medical cases amid ongoing logistical challenges. These efforts underscore the broad international cooperation and complexity involved in evacuations during the crisis.