Breaking Update
115,000 People Stuck Abroad at Start of Iran Conflict Return to Israel
Operation "Wings of the Eagle" has facilitated the return of 115,000 Israelis stranded abroad since the Iran conflict began on February 28.
Jerusalem, 18 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Airports Authority said that by the end of the day, Wednesday, it expects that approximately 115,000 people are expected to have returned to Israel, who had been stranded abroad at the start of the conflict with Iran. When the current conflict began on February 28th, Israel closed its airways and a few days later began working on the return of those caught abroad.
Operation “Wings of the Eagle,” which works to Return home people who were stuck abroad, 475 flights and approximately 74,000 passengers landed at Ben Gurion Airport between the dates March 5 and March 17, 2026.
Today, 37 additional landings and approximately 4,800 incoming passengers are expected.
Approximately 41,000 passengers traveled Abroad from Ben Gurion Airport, via Israeli airlines.
In addition, between February 28 and March 17 there was a lot of passenger traffic at the land border crossings: Begin (the Taba crossing into Egypt from Eilat), Rabin (the Arava crossing near Eilat into Jordan), and the Allenby Bridge crossing over the Jordan River and Allenby saw approximately 35,900 travelers enter Israel and approximately 48,200 depart.
Ben-Gurion Airport and the land border crossings, said the Airports Authority, are operating around the clock with the aim of enabling the safe return of Israelis to Israel, and assisting passengers leaving the country.
