A Russian emergency services aircraft evacuated 117 citizens — including 54 children — from Azerbaijan after they crossed overland from Iran amid rising regional tensions.
Several Western nations also organized special evacuation flights. France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and the United States arranged repatriation flights from countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Emotional Returns in Europe
At Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, 18-year-old Emmy Coutelier embraced her sister after arriving from the UAE.
She recounted that when the first strikes hit Dubai, she was at a hotel pool with her boyfriend. An emergency alarm later sounded in the middle of the night, instructing guests to stay away from windows.
“We went down to the basement,” she said, describing the experience as frightening despite Dubai being considered relatively safe.
France announced plans for further evacuation flights, although government minister Eleonore Caroit described the process as complex and uncertain due to the rapidly evolving situation.
Meanwhile, a flight from Abu Dhabi repatriated 175 passengers to Madrid. Spanish students Carolina Garcia and Adriana Mecia spoke of anxiety and exhaustion after going without sleep for three days.
US Advisory and Regional Impact
The US State Department reported that more than 9,000 Americans had returned from the region since Saturday, including over 300 from Israel. It urged Americans across the Middle East — from Egypt eastward — to leave for their safety.
Air travel across parts of the Gulf was heavily disrupted. Aviation data showed flights were virtually grounded in Qatar and Bahrain. In Israel, nearly three-quarters of flights were cancelled, while more than two-thirds were cancelled in the UAE.
Israel to Gradually Reopen Airspace
Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev announced that the country would begin gradually reopening its airspace overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, subject to security assessments.
The first flights will focus on repatriating Israeli citizens, with no departures planned initially. The reopening had originally been scheduled for next week but was brought forward following updated security evaluations.
Sharon Kedmi, Director General of the Israel Airports Authority, said operations would resume cautiously — starting with one narrow-body aircraft per hour during the first 24 hours.
The unfolding situation highlights the scale of regional disruption and the delicate balance governments are attempting to maintain between security and civilian mobility.