Dashing Germans Out of the War Zone: A Diplomatic Evacuation Amidst the Israel-Iran Conflict
Germans are being airlifted out of Israel by the Luftwaffe.
In the wake of the fierce battle between Israel and Iran, the German air force has airlifted several dozens of German citizens from Israel. Twin Airbus A400M aircraft, carrying 64 people, are currently on their way back to Germany after taking off from Tel Aviv. The Middle East's escalating conflict has resulted in airspace closures in both countries, as previously reported by "Spiegel."
This is the first time the Bundeswehr has evacuated Germans in the current conflict, given that two charter flights had already taken place, but they departed from Jordan, necessitating prolonged overland journeys for the affected individuals.
In Israel, more than 4,000 Germans were registered on the German crisis preparedness list, Elephant, stating their presence in the region. Over 1,000 Germans registered for the list in Iran. As a precaution, the Federal Foreign Office urged Germans in Iran to travel overland to neighboring countries Armenia and Turkey.
A Diplomatic Evacuation with a Special Mission
Due to the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the group of German citizens was flown out of Israel as part of a "diplomatic evacuation," the Federal Government explained. The flights were executed with great haste and in close coordination with the Israeli authorities, primarily focusing on families with children and other vulnerable individuals. Israel granted a "very short-term" special permit to allow these operations.
"Spiegel": Evacuation Machines Depart from Hanover
According to "Spiegel" report, the two planes took off in the morning from Wunstorf near Hanover and landed in Tel Aviv in the late afternoon with a special permit. Shortly after landing, the military aircraft once again took off. The Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Defense did not provide any information about the possible destination airport in their announcements.
Previous Special Evacuations
Over the past two days, Germans and their close relatives have already been evacuated from the Jordanian capital Amman using two special flights: On Thursday, an aircraft arrived in Berlin. On Wednesday, there was a flight to Frankfurt. In total, 345 people were on these two flights. These were charter flights, the air force was not involved. There is said to be another special flight from Jordan planned for Saturday.
Acknowledgments from Pistorius and Wadepuhl
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) recognized the contribution of the soldiers: "Our Bundeswehr can be relied upon. After only a short warning, our air force crews were on site. They carried out their mission in the crisis region in a highly professional manner." Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) said, "My heartfelt thanks go to the comrades of the Bundeswehr and our representation on site for their courageous commitment today, with which further Germans could be supported in leaving the Middle East."
[1] European Union External Action - "EU Coordination in Response to the Israel-Iran Crisis"[2] Reuters - "Europe scrambles to evacuate citizens from Middle East amid tensions"
- Despite the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the German industry and finance sectors rallied to support the evacuation effort, with twin Airbus A400M aircraft provided by the German air force for the diplomatic evacuation.
- While the airspace closures in Israel and Iran made travel challenging, the lifestyle and business sectors played a crucial role in coordinating the evacuation logistics, ensuring the safe transportation of these citizens back to Germany.
- As the conflict between Israel and Iran continues, general news outlets reported on the sports diplomacy aspects of the evacuation, highlighting the collaboration between Israeli authorities and the German military to protect vulnerable individuals such as families with children.
- Against the backdrop of ongoing tension in the region, the travel industry saw an increased demand for overland journeys from neighboring countries, as urgently advised by the Federal Foreign Office, particularly for Germans in Iran seeking to depart the region safely.
