Thousands of tourists in Israel find themselves stranded as the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has forced flight cancellations and city lockdowns, turning short vacations into uncertain, prolonged stays.
Since Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday, life in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv has come to a halt, leaving approximately 40,000 tourists stranded due to closed airspace and cancelled flights.
What began as brief visits has extended into indefinite stays, with many travelers seeking alternative exit routes through neighboring countries like Jordan. The once-bustling streets of Jerusalem are now deserted, and key sites like the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Western Wall are under strict restrictions.
Justin Joyner is a tourist from the U.S. and he said that it's a worrying time.
"A very new experience for me personally, being American, and it is scary to hear, you know, missiles being intercepted, to feel the concussive blast, even though it's up in the sky," Joyner said.
"And to have to take your son and your father and go down to a bomb shelter which is just something you don't even have to consider in America, at least not since the 60s, so it makes me feel uneasy and very anxious to get back home," he added.
Meanwhile his relative, John Joyner said that they're looking for alternative places to stay. "We are looking for (something with) kitchenettes, some place to kind of reduce some of our expenses."
He added that they're also looking at a different place to fly from.
"Flight schedules, perhaps out of Jordan, if possible, and because it may be a while before Israeli airports open up."
Israel’s Tourism Ministry has set up a 24/7 virtual help desk to assist stranded foreigners, but uncertainty remains for those far from home.
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A prominent Ugandan lawyer representing detained opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been charged with a treason-related offence, days after his arrest by security forces.
The U.S. Treasury did not publish an extension of its sanctions waiver for Russian seaborne oil before it expired at midnight on Wednesday, raising questions over whether Washington is preparing to reimpose restrictions on Russian energy exports.
The European Parliament approved an overhaul of the European Union's migration policy on Wednesday, paving the way for faster deportations and allowing member states to establish detention centres outside the bloc.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
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UN Women chief Sima Bahous warned the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that peace processes are more fragile and less effective when women are excluded from decision-making, as global conflict levels reach their highest point since the UN was founded.
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The U.S. Treasury did not publish an extension of its sanctions waiver for Russian seaborne oil before it expired at midnight on Wednesday, raising questions over whether Washington is preparing to reimpose restrictions on Russian energy exports.
A prominent Ugandan lawyer representing detained opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been charged with a treason-related offence, days after his arrest by security forces.
The European Parliament approved an overhaul of the European Union's migration policy on Wednesday, paving the way for faster deportations and allowing member states to establish detention centres outside the bloc.
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