By [Your Name] | June 2025
As Israel and Iran ramp up their exchange of missile and airstrikes into full-fledged conflict, governments worldwide have initiated massive evacuation operations in response to civilian casualties caught between hostilities. Over the last week alone, thousands have left both nations by air, sea, and land due to increasing hostilities and rapidly closing transit corridors.
Alarms Raise across Two Nations
The crisis started on June 13 when Israeli forces conducted aerial assaults on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, prompting Iran to respond by firing long-range missiles and drones against Israeli cities. Tehran saw several strikes that hit their capital and injured civilians; Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba was struck by an Iranian Sejjil missile which caused severe damage and led to full evacuation efforts at its wing, inflicting significant damages and prompting evacuation efforts across Israel as a response despite full evacuation efforts being initiated by both nations
On June 18th, Ambassador Mike Huckabee announced that the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is actively coordinating evacuations–including charter flights and cruise ship departures–to assist American citizens leaving Israel. These arrangements can be found at: (nypost.com); politico.com and (reuters.com).
State Department officials have already started the relocation of nonessential diplomats and family members on government evacuation flights; Americans at risk are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), according to news.sky.com (+15) as well as AAP News and Reuter’s. (both +15).
Birthright students on Birthright trips from across America were evacuated via cruise ship to Cyprus and chartered flights are being organized to transport them home; youtube.com/infamous, CBSNews.com, NYPost.com are reporting these events as fact.
India recently initiated “Operation Sindhu” to retrieve Indian nationals living in Iran. On June 18th, a special flight returned 110 Indian students from Urmia via Armenia back to Delhi en.wikipedia.org +1.5 and timesofindia.indiatimes.com +1.2
Many others remain in Armenia and Qatar due to limited commercial options available to them.
Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and others evacuated approximately 1,500 citizens from Iran and over 1,200 from Israel due to airspace closures which grounded commercial flights (Washington Post/AP News/Youtube.com +2); these were reported on by Wash Post/AP News +2. For example:Washington Post | ABC News | YouTube >> (cbsnews com+2) | Ndtvcom (+2) by AAPnews as follows.
Taiwan reported the evacuations of 36 people from Israel via Jordan and three from Iran via Turkey (according to both reuters.com and apnews.com).
South Korea also evacuated 18 nationals and two family members from Iran into Turkmenistan and 25 Israeli citizens into Jordan through South Korean diplomatic channels, while Bulgaria moved diplomats from Iran into Azerbaijan while airlifting over 90 citizens out of Israel (nypost.com, washingtonpost.com and apnews.com all listed as sources).
Airspace Closures in the Middle East
Iran and Israel have both restricted commercial passenger flights into and out of their respective airspace, forcing evacuation efforts to utilize alternative routes. Governments are employing land corridors through Jordan, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan with ships as a supplement – such as one which transported American and other foreign nationals from Cyprus (cbsnews.com/ cbsnewsnews /washingtonpost /nypost.com for example). For further reading please see “Routes and Challenges
Airspace closures across the Middle East has prevented commercial passenger flights entering and out of Iran/Israel with commercial passenger flights using traditional air corridors; authorities are using alternative evacuation routes: land corridors through Jordan/ Turkey/Armenia/Azerbaijan (land corridors through Jordan/ Turkey), supplemented with ships like cruise liners carrying American/other foreign nationals to Cyprus for instance). CBN News source + 2washingtonpost.com +2wascheningtonpost.com +2 Washingtonpost.com +2 whilst New YorkPost.com =2 ==> CBN News + 2 Washingtonpost.com =2 WP =2 WashingtonPost +2WashingtonPostcom +2WASHingtonpostcom =2 WASHingtonpostcom +2WASHingtonPostcom +2 WA$ >WASHingtonPost +2WASHingtonpostcom +2 Wash WashingtonPostcom +2 and other US nationals =US =2WASHWPe =1WashingtonPostcom WP= 2WASHP == 3WP +3WP 4thr +
Security constraints, lengthy border delays and logistical hurdles have hampered operations in Iran. Fear and fuel shortages triggered an exodus from Tehran toward northern provinces where clinics are struggling to accommodate thousands of internally displaced civilians.
Diplomacy Amid Conflict
Even as tensions arose, some nations urged caution over hasty evacuations. Thailand advised citizens to depart Tehran if possible but refrained from undertaking an all-out evacuation operation.
While governments worldwide attempt to ensure their nationals’ immediate safety while managing escalating diplomatic tensions between Israel, Iran, and the U.S. – with both parties seriously contemplating more direct intervention –
What’s Next
With more missile exchanges predicted, the evacuation phase continues. The U.S. has warned of potential military involvement while other nations assess whether to expand their evacuation missions. Meanwhile, humanitarian response shows the extent of conflict’s human cost; one of the largest ever evacuations of Iranian and Israeli civilians ever recorded in recent history has occurred as result.
As global coordination intensifies, Israeli and Iranian citizens are being advised to monitor embassy alerts, register with emergency assistance programs, and prepare to move quickly – potentially shifting from crisis to shelter within hours.