Seoul: Around 60 South Koreans in Israel have been evacuated by land to Egypt to seek shelter, according to the foreign ministry, as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran spiral into a broader Middle East conflict involving neighboring countries. Sixty-two South Korean nationals and four ethnic Koreans with U.S. citizenship left Jerusalem or Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning (local time) aboard a chartered bus arranged by the South Korean Embassy in Israel and headed for the Egyptian border, the ministry said. According to Yonhap News Agency, another 47 Korean travelers or short-term visa holders joined the group of Koreans at the border and moved into Egypt. The evacuation came after Iran launched missiles at Israel following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran. Israel has since hit back with simultaneous strikes on Iran and the Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. A Seoul official said the evacuation was arranged at the request of those who had expressed their intention to leave Israel. Some 600 South Koreans , including roughly 100 short-term visitors, had been in Israel prior to the evacuation, the official said. "We will consider a range of measures if there is additional demand," he said. A government rapid response team, consisting of embassy and foreign ministry officials, has been dispatched to assist the evacuees en route to Cairo.
Around 60 South Koreans Evacuated from Israel to Egypt Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict