Kathmandu: As hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify, European nations have begun repatriating their citizens from Israel due to escalating security concerns. The urgency follows Israel’s surprise airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities last Friday, which have significantly worsened the situation in the region.

According to German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner, Germany is organizing a chartered commercial flight from Jordan to repatriate approximately 200 German nationals. An additional return flight from Amman is scheduled for Thursday.

In Italy, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that special flights have been arranged for Italian citizens seeking to leave Israel. Meanwhile, Greece has also carried out a proactive evacuation, repatriating 105 Greek citizens along with other foreign nationals. These individuals were flown from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to Athens aboard Greek Air Force C-130 and C-27 aircraft.

The evacuation also included citizens from Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States, according to the Greek embassy.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced that the first Polish group has returned home, and further repatriation is being planned, with another flight expected Thursday. Additionally, a private plane carrying 148 people, including 89 Bulgarian nationals, landed in Sofia on Wednesday night.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, residential areas in both Israel and Iran have been subjected to deadly missile attacks, heightening fears for foreign nationals. As a result, governments across Europe have prioritized evacuation efforts, citing rising concerns over regional and global security implications.