Camilla Jessen
Forty Romanian citizens stranded in Israel during the latest military escalation were safely evacuated.
Amid rising tensions and airstrikes between Israel and Iran, Romania successfully coordinated the evacuation of 40 of its citizens from Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced Thursday via Digi24.
The operation, carried out under difficult conditions, took place overnight between June 12 and 13, when Israeli airspace was closed and warnings of incoming attacks were at their peak.
Coordinated Effort Across Borders
The Romanian MAE’s Crisis Cell, activated that night and functioning continuously, led the operation.
With air travel suspended, Romanian authorities organized overland transport from Israel to Egypt, where evacuees boarded a special flight to Sofia, Bulgaria, arranged by the Bulgarian government.
Upon landing in Bulgaria, 38 citizens were transported by bus to Bucharest. Two others opted to continue to other destinations.
Throughout their stay in Israel, the evacuees received logistical and accommodation assistance from Romania’s diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah.
A Romanian consul from the embassy in Cairo met the group at the Egyptian border and assisted with boarding procedures for the repatriation flight.
Ongoing Support for Romanians Abroad
Minister of Foreign Affairs Emil Hurezeanu stated that Romanian embassies across the region are handling ongoing repatriation requests.
In Tehran, 68 citizens have taken shelter at the Romanian embassy, with contact maintained with 30 more. In Amman, Jordan, 44 Romanians are receiving consular support after flight cancellations.
The Romanian government has also proposed the creation of a multinational humanitarian corridor during a European meeting, and is preparing further evacuation operations with TAROM and military aircraft, though details remain confidential for security reasons.
Romanian citizens were also among those flown out of Israel on a Greek military aircraft via Egypt, according to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The flight evacuated 105 people, including EU and US nationals.
On June 13, the MAE issued a travel warning for Israel due to the heightened risk of Iranian missile strikes and closed airspace. Romanian citizens are urged to follow local safety instructions and seek shelter during alerts.