Dubai: Governments around the world are stepping up efforts to evacuate their citizens from the Middle East as the expanding Iran conflict continues to disrupt regional travel and force widespread airspace closures. Thousands of travellers remain stranded after military strikes involving Israel, the United States and Iran triggered major security concerns across the region.

With several airports affected and flight routes restricted, many travellers have been forced to seek alternative exit points through neighbouring countries. Oman, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have emerged as key transit hubs where governments are arranging charter flights and deploying military aircraft to evacuate citizens.

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Several countries have already launched evacuation operations. France has organised multiple flights to bring back its nationals, while Italy evacuated students from Dubai. More than 200 people from 16 countries also managed to leave Iran by land through Turkmenistan despite strict visa restrictions.

A Russian emergency services flight evacuated 117 citizens, including 54 children, from Azerbaijan after they left Iran overland across the border.

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States also organised special evacuation flights, from countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States said thousands of Americans have already returned safely, while Mexico confirmed the evacuation of nearly 280 citizens. In Israel, authorities reported that around 15,000 people had left the country through land crossings into Jordan and Egypt as buses transported tourists to the southern border.

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European countries are also expanding repatriation efforts. The United Kingdom has arranged charter flights from Oman, while Ireland is planning evacuation flights from Dubai and Oman for hundreds of its nationals. Norway has deployed an emergency response team to Dubai to assist citizens seeking to leave the region.

New Zealand has also begun preparations for potential evacuations. The government has ordered two military aircraft to the Middle East and will deploy consular staff to support its citizens in the region. Foreign Minister Winston Peters urged New Zealanders to remain sheltered and leave the region only if it is safe to do so, adding that authorities want to be prepared for evacuation operations when conditions allow.

The travel disruption has affected passengers worldwide. On Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, around 6,000 travellers were stranded after flights to major Gulf transit hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha were cancelled.

The aviation sector has been severely impacted by the conflict. More than half of the roughly 44,000 flights scheduled to operate to or from the Middle East since the war began have been cancelled. Flight tracking services also reported thousands of additional global cancellations in recent days.

Airspace restrictions remain in place across several Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria. The United Arab Emirates has partially closed its airspace, while Saudi Arabia continues to restrict routes near the Persian Gulf. Israel is preparing for a phased reopening of flights to allow returning citizens to enter the country.

Although some airlines have resumed limited services, available seats are filling quickly as thousands attempt to leave the region. Aviation authorities have warned that schedules may continue to change depending on evolving security conditions and airspace restrictions.