Transport Minister Miri Regev announced on Wednesday that Israel is expanding its “Safe Return – Wings of the Lion” evacuation operation to include Japan and Thailand, as the government ramps up efforts to bring home thousands of Israelis stranded across East Asia.
Thirteen Days of War#
Since the launch of the joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran on February 27, Ben-Gurion Airport has been largely closed to commercial traffic. Over 120,000 Israelis found themselves stranded abroad, unable to return home as airlines canceled flights and airspace restrictions took effect.
The Ministry of Transportation has been coordinating a massive repatriation effort through multiple channels, including land crossings via Jordan and Egypt, sea routes, and a gradual reopening of limited air corridors at Ben-Gurion Airport.
Japan and Thailand Next in Line#
According to Regev, the Emirates-based evacuation — which has been the primary focus of rescue flights over the past week — is expected to be largely completed by Saturday night. Regev urged Israelis not to travel to the Emirates, “not even via connections.” Attention is now shifting to the Far East, where significant numbers of Israeli tourists and business travelers remain stranded.
Starting Sunday, commercial flight capacity to Thailand will increase. El Al announced it will double its weekly flights from Far East destinations, operating approximately 20 rescue flights over the following week from three key hubs:
- Bangkok – Thailand’s main international gateway
- Phuket – a popular resort destination with a large Israeli tourist presence
- Tokyo – Japan’s primary international hub
These flights are expected to bring home more than 6,000 passengers in total, with the majority departing from Bangkok.
Priority for Cancelled Ticket Holders#
El Al has confirmed that passengers whose original flights were canceled due to the security situation will be given priority on the evacuation flights at no additional cost. This includes customers of both El Al and its subsidiary Sun D’Or. The airline has also committed to prioritizing exceptional humanitarian and medical cases, even for travelers who did not originally hold El Al tickets.
Flights will be opened for general public sale only after all existing El Al and Sun D’Or customers have been accommodated.
Timeline for Completion#
Regev estimated that the overall rescue operation from East Asia could be completed within approximately one week, assuming the security situation allows continued flight operations at Ben-Gurion Airport. The airport has been operating under strict capacity limits since reopening — initially one 200-passenger aircraft per hour, gradually scaling to two larger planes per hour.
The operation marks a significant expansion of Israel’s repatriation efforts, which began with flights from European and American gateways and has now extended deep into the Asia-Pacific region.
Source: Mako, The Jerusalem Post
