More than forty thousand tourists are stranded in Israel. As the Iran conflict escalates, most of the airports and museums are closed and flights are grounded across Israel.
What began as a typical summer travel season has spiraled into chaos. Some 40,000 tourists are now stranded in Israel, caught off guard by a fast-escalating war between Israel and Iran that has turned the country’s top travel destinations into tense, high-alert zones.
The situation deteriorated rapidly following Israel’s surprise airstrike on Iran in the early hours of Friday. Tehran responded with missile attacks, prompting Israel to shut down its airspace and suspend all outbound and inbound commercial flights. Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport remains shut with no official timeline for reopening.
Instead of planning day trips to Jerusalem’s Old City or exploring Tel Aviv’s beaches, foreign visitors are now jolted awake by air raid sirens, forced to rush into bomb shelters, and frantically checking travel sites for alternate escape routes. From historic hotels to modern resorts, shelters are now the most visited rooms.
Hotels are now sites of uncertainty. and museums useums are closed. Access to Jerusalem’s Old City has been cut off to non-residents.
Main Image: Tel Aviv Museum of Art