The Royal Air Force (RAF) has successfully completed a multi-day evacuation mission transporting British nationals and their dependants from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Larnaca, Cyprus.
The operation, carried out using RAF A400M Atlas aircraft, facilitated the safe extraction of over 220 eligible people amid deteriorating security conditions in the region.
The three-day mission involved aircraft and crews departing from RAF Brize Norton and Cyprus. Flights landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport before returning to Larnaca, where evacuees were received by FCDO consular teams to begin their onward journey back to the UK.
The A400M aircraft were specially refitted with a seating pack to accommodate over 100 passengers per flight. Passengers ranged in age from three months to 91 years old, including pensioners and young families.
“This is the day job, but it is one of the most rewarding elements of the job when you become involved in any humanitarian activity,” said one RAF aircrew member involved in the evacuation.
Among the evacuees was a man named Jeff, who shared a harrowing account of his experience in Israel:
“My family and I were caught in a situation that quickly escalated from a joyous celebration at a wedding, to navigating a war zone. My wife, elderly parents (86 and 91) and I were absolutely terrified running to bomb shelters in the middle of the night and the uncertainty of how we would get home.”
Throughout the crisis, the FCDO maintained regular contact with British nationals, offering updates and logistical support. The Ministry of Defence’s Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team, alongside the FCDO’s Rapid Deployment Team, played a key role in assessing conditions on the ground and ensuring the success of the evacuation.
Squadron Leader Katie Hermolle, Commander of the Air Mobility Detachment, underscored the adaptability of the Air Mobility Force: “The Air Mobility Force is extremely agile; flexibility is key so that personnel and aircraft can change roles rapidly and deliver operations such as these evacuation flights at very short notice.”
Jeff expressed his gratitude following the safe return to the UK: “I cannot express how relieved I am to be back home after such a harrowing experience. The support from the RAF has been invaluable. It was a terrifying ordeal but knowing that help was on the way made all the difference. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this operation.”
The mission exemplifies the RAF’s rapid response capabilities and the UK government’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad through swift and coordinated humanitarian interventions.
Main image: Image of 16 Air Assault Brigade, seen here making their way to a RAF A400M aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Photographer: AS1 Leah Jones UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024 MOD Crown Copyright News / Editorial Licence.
