Israel’s Emergency Evacuation: Tugboats and Taxis Bring Citizens Home Amid Iran Conflict

JERUSALEM – As Israel’s skies roared with fighter jets striking Iran’s nuclear and weapons sites, thousands of Israelis abroad faced a desperate scramble to return home. On Wednesday, an emergency flight touched down in Tel Aviv, kicking off a government-led mission to bring citizens back amid the escalating conflict.

With Israel’s airspace shut down after Thursday’s overnight strikes, an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 Israelis were stranded globally. Deadly ballistic missiles have pounded Israel, leaving destruction and loss in their wake. Yet, the pull of home has driven some to extraordinary lengths.

Yaakov Katz, a former Jerusalem Post editor, found himself rerouted to Cyprus when the strikes began. After two days of limbo, he and eight others boarded a tugboat piloted by a no-nonsense Israeli sailor named Eli. “Seventeen hours on choppy waters wasn’t luxury,” Katz told WTFNewsRoom, “but I’d sail through a storm to be with my family during this war.”

Others, like Shimi Grossman, a Zaka rescue volunteer, couldn’t wait either. He zigzagged from the U.S. to London, then to Egypt’s Sharm al-Sheikh, planning to taxi to Israel’s Taba border crossing. “My people need me,” Grossman said, his resolve unwavering despite the chaos.

For those still stranded, the wait is agonizing. Josh Hantman, stuck in London, watched a missile strike near his Tel Aviv home, where his wife and kids sheltered. “It’s like your heart’s being squeezed from across the ocean,” he shared. Meanwhile, Uzi Sofer, stranded in Budapest, missed his daughter’s wedding, now postponed to July. “I’m holding out hope for two celebrations: her wedding and Israel’s triumph,” he said.

Transport Minister Miri Regev announced plans to reopen maritime routes from Cyprus and Greece, with domestic airlines poised to ferry citizens home once skies are clear. Travel warnings remain for Egypt and Jordan, complicating the journey for many.

As missiles fall and tensions soar, the resilience of Israelis shines through, their determination to reunite with loved ones a testament to their spirit in wartime.