Many Israelis are reportedly fleeing by sea. (Photo: screen grab)
Israel’s airspace closed on Friday night, forcing locals and foreigners to seek a way out by sea or overland through the borders with Jordan and Egypt, according to Haaretz.
Hundreds of Israelis and foreigners are fleeing the country daily by yacht to Cyprus following the closure of Israel’s airspace due to the escalating war with Iran, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
The paper described the Herzliya marina as taking on “the atmosphere of a makeshift terminal,” with at least a hundred people preparing to set sail on one particular morning.
Haaretz reported that hundreds of Israelis and foreigners are fleeing the country by yacht, with many paying thousands of dollars to reach the island of Cyprus by sea. pic.twitter.com/kv8kAxnWtI
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) June 16, 2025
The paper cited Facebook groups “dedicated to sea-based exits” proving that “hundreds of people” are attempting to leave the country this way.
Since there is a demand, there are those ready to supply “for a price,” the paper said, with some passengers saying they paid 2,500 shekels ($713) each for the journey, which can take up to 25 hours.
“Someone asked me for 6,000,” one passenger told Haaretz, adding, “It’s all supply and demand.”
No Proper Insurance
Another told the paper that prices “also depend on the type of yacht, the amenities it offers and how fast it sails.”
The passenger explained that some yachts have private cabins, “and there are those that run on diesel and can get to Cyprus in just eight hours.”
Following Netanyahu’s decision to ban Israelis from flying abroad, Haaretz reported that settlers are fleeing towards Cyprus with the help of small Yachts/vessels. (Purple icons are Yachts/sailing vessels) pic.twitter.com/WWtLcXxzEu
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) June 16, 2025
Some vessels are also operating illegally, one commercial captain told the paper as “some private owners are charging passengers without having proper insurance for transporting people.”
Unwilling to ‘Speak Openly’
The paper said only a few of those spoken to at the Herzliya marina “admit they are fleeing the threat of Iranian missile attacks,” adding that none were willing “to speak openly” to reporters.
Some said they do not reside in Israel but were “simply trying to get back home,” while others said they were leaving to “join children or partners” abroad.
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One mother, leaving with her partner and four-year-old child, admitted: “We’re tired of the missiles,” the report said.
According to another Haaretz report, around 40,000 foreign tourists are currently in Israel.
Israelis Stranded Abroad
Ben-Gurion International Airport was closed on Friday night, leaving “an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Israelis stranded abroad as well.”
The report said land crossings with Jordan and Egypt remain open, however, their hours are limited and a high demand “means long waits at the border with no certainty of crossing.”
When the Mad Dog Bites: Netanyahu, Iran, and the Empire that Feeds It
The escalation between Israel and Iran began at dawn on Friday when Israel, with tacit support from the United States, launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’, a large-scale aerial assault on Iranian nuclear facilities, missile bases, and key personnel.
That evening, Iran responded with ‘True Promise 3’, launching dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, killing at least 13 and injuring hundreds, according to Israeli sources.
Since then, the number of dead and injured on both sides has increased.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that if Israeli attacks continue, Iran’s response would become “more decisive and severe.” He stated that the Iranian military had so far responded “forcefully and appropriately.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)