Boat Carrying 1,500 Stranded Israelis Arrives In Israel – Army

The Israeli military said that the first boat carrying Israelis stranded abroad due to the Iran-Israel war arrived Friday with 1,500 citizens aboard.

“As part of the Ministry of Transportation’s Operation ‘Safe Return’, a passenger ship bringing Israelis from the Port of Limassol in Cyprus docked today… at the Ashdod Port with over 1,500 Israelis on board,” the military said in a statement.

“The ship was secured (during its journey) by an Israeli Navy missile boat”, the military added.

After Israel’s airports were closed and outbound flights cancelled following Israel’s attack on Iran last Friday, an estimated 100,000-150,000 Israelis found themselves stranded abroad, according to transport ministry figures.

Around 5,000 returned by plane on Wednesday and Thursday, Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev said on Thursday, adding that double the number of flights were expected on Friday.

National carrier El Al said that it would operate “recovery flights” from Europe, the United States, and Thailand.