Immigration Minister Returns to Israel by Plane and Boat After Airspace Closure

Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer was forced to take a circuitous route back to Israel, arriving Sunday evening after traveling through Greece and Cyprus due to Israel’s closure of its airspace following Friday’s strike on Iran.

Channel 12 reported that Sofer had been in Azerbaijan for a conference on Thursday. With no direct flights available, he flew first to Athens, then on to Limassol in Cyprus, where he boarded a boat to reach Israel.

After hostilities erupted between Israel and Iran, the Israeli government shut down its airspace as a precautionary measure. As a result, more than 100,000 Israeli nationals are currently stranded overseas.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev said Monday that authorities are preparing a coordinated effort to bring those citizens back safely, although she acknowledged the operation would require time to complete.