Seoul: About 140 South Koreans have been evacuated from Iran, Israel, and neighboring countries as tensions in the Middle East escalate due to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The South Korean foreign ministry announced the evacuation on Wednesday, highlighting the growing regional conflict involving multiple Middle Eastern nations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, 113 individuals, including 47 short-term travelers, departed from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Tuesday via a land route and safely arrived in Egypt before proceeding to Cairo. The South Korean Embassy arranged for a chartered bus to transport residents from Israel to the border, while those on short-term stays joined the group at border checkpoints.

Additionally, 24 South Korean nationals left Tehran on Monday, crossing into Turkmenistan the next day. They are en route to Ashgabat, with plans to return home or continue to a third destination. In other movements, ten South Koreans relocated from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, and two from Iraq evacuated to Turkey.

The evacuation efforts were driven by increasing hostilities, as Iran launched missiles at Israel, prompting Israel to retaliate with strikes on Iran and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Neighboring nations such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon have also become involved in the conflict.

The South Korean foreign ministry acted upon requests from individuals desiring to leave the conflict zones. A ministry official noted that they would consider additional measures if more people express the need to evacuate.

Among those evacuated from Iran were notable figures such as South Korean coach Lee Do-hee of the Iranian women's national team and footballer Lee Ki-je from Mes Rafsanjan FC. The evacuees also included embassy staff, their families, ethnic Koreans with other nationalities, and some Iranians connected to Korean nationals.

Prior to the evacuation, approximately 600 South Koreans, including about 100 short-term visitors, were in Israel, while around 40 remain in Iran. Despite the volatile situation, Seoul officials stated there are no current plans to withdraw embassy personnel. Rapid response teams from the government, consisting of embassy and foreign ministry officials, have been deployed to facilitate the evacuation process.