A limited number of commercial flights are scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi Zayed Airport in the UAE this afternoon, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee.
However, unless Irish citizens have been advised by their airline that they have been booked on a flight, the ministry’s advice remains to “shelter in place”.
This comes amid ongoing instability in the region following the launch of the American-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran on Saturday, which has struck a number of countries in retaliation, including expat hubs such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
An estimated 20,000 Irish citizens are currently either residing in or transiting through the Gulf states, according to Minister McEntee, with the ongoing conflict resulting in thousands of cancelled flights to and from the region.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne discouraged Irish people in the Gulf countries from attempting to leave via land routes “because of the sheer number of Irish people that are there”.
“You may get to another country, but the question would be, would you be able to fly out of that country? So that’s not something that we can recommend, and that’s why the advice very clearly has to be to shelter in place,” Minister Byrne said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has encouraged all Irish people in the region to register with the DFA’s citizen registration platform, so that the Department will be able to make contact in the event of an unforeseen crisis or family emergency while overseas and, if necessary, to provide assistance.
In her recent update, Minister McEntee additionally addressed the latest developments in the conflict, which saw Israel respond to strikes from Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
Hezbollah early Monday launched missiles and drones into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with airstrikes across southern Beirut, targeting what it said was Hezbollah-controlled territory.
Minister McEntee said that she was “deeply concerned by reports of Israeli military strikes on Lebanon and rocket fire on Israel,” adding that “the widening of this conflict brings greater risk and suffering to the region”.
“I am in regular contact with the Chief of Staff and pleased to report this morning that Defence Forces personnel serving with UNIFIL are safe and accounted for,” she said.