Announcement screens at Ben Gurion airport are now filled with cancelled flights, as tensions between Israel and Iran escalate - Photo: REUTERS
Waking to air raid sirens and rushing to bomb shelters - tens of thousands of foreign tourists staying in Israel have seen their vacations turned upside down by tensions between Iran and Israel.
Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran early on June 13, then closed its airspace and ordered people to stay put as the two arch-enemies in the Middle East traded deadly strikes.
The escalating tensions have left some 40,000 tourists stranded in Israel, according to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Airlines have canceled flights until further notice, leaving travelers to decide whether to wait or take costly detours through neighboring countries.
Justin Joyner, from California, is vacationing in Jerusalem with his father and son. They anticipate some trouble as the standoff between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip continues.
But like most locals, these American tourists did not foresee a new war breaking out while they were there.
"We didn't expect Israel to attack Iran. It's a whole other level of escalation," Joyner told Reuters at his hotel in East Jerusalem, which has seen Iranian ballistic missiles flash overhead like a shower of meteors over the past two nights.
"It was very unpleasant to feel the shock wave of the intercepted missile right above my head and rush my family to the bomb shelter. We never thought about that when we were in the US," he said.
Another American trapped was Dr. Greer Glazer, who was in Jerusalem for a nursing training program. She had to run down 10 flights of stairs in her hotel to the shelter when the sirens sounded.
She plans to return home on June 29, but is considering leaving Israel earlier. The easiest route is to travel by land to Jordan, then buy a plane ticket home.
Israel's Tourism Ministry said it has set up a "virtual office" providing 24/7 assistance in English and Hebrew for stranded tourists.
The ministry also said it is working closely with stakeholders in the tourism industry, including hotels and other accommodation establishments, to support tourists.
With the departure from Israel, Israel affirmed that foreign tourists can still leave the country by land because the border gates with Jordan and Egypt remain open.
But not everyone wants to leave in a hurry.
Karen Tuhrim flew from the UK to visit her daughter in Tel Aviv, which has been hit by several direct missile strikes from Iran in recent days. Despite having to hide in a bunker, she said she felt safe and happy to be near her daughter.
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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/40-000-du-khach-mac-ket-tai-israel-giua-bom-dan-chet-choc-20250616195934018.htm
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