Israel to evacuate citizens stranded abroad within 72 hours

Israel has announced plans to begin evacuating its citizens stranded overseas within the next 72 hours.

The Ministry of Defence has granted authorisation to Transport Minister Miri Regev to organise and oversee rescue flights for Israelis currently abroad, Caliber.Az reports per Israeli media.

According to a briefing, the evacuation flights are expected to commence within three days, aiming to bring home nationals facing difficulties abroad.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Transportation has finalised an agreement with Mano Maritime to operate two rescue voyages from Cyprus, aiming to repatriate around 200,000 Israelis stranded abroad due to the closure of Israeli airspace. This follows three days of suspended flights caused by Israel’s military strikes on Iran and subsequent missile retaliations.

Each vessel will carry approximately 2,000 passengers and 650 crew members, evacuating a total of 4,000 people across both trips. Transportation Minister Miri Regev met with Mano Maritime owner Moshe Mano to coordinate the operation, which provides a vital sea-based alternative amid the aviation disruption.

The ships, currently berthed at Haifa Port, are awaiting final clearance from the Home Front Command before departure. Ministry officials emphasised the complexity of the operation, involving security checks, scheduling, and port arrangements.

“Mano Maritime is a private company, and all arrangements for the voyages are handled directly with them,” the Ministry of Transportation said. “Once the company publishes a registration link, the public can sign up and purchase tickets through their website or system. Reservations, payments, and all other details are managed solely by Mano.”

No registration details or departure dates have been announced yet, with approvals possibly causing further delays.

By Aghakazim Guliyev