By Canadian Press

Canada starts busing citizens out of Israel days after allies began

Jun 23, 2025 | 10:39 AM

OTTAWA — Ottawa has started evacuating Canadians from Israel days after telling them to find their own way to neighbouring countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says bus services started this morning from Tel Aviv and the West Bank to Jordan.

She says bus routes also started yesterday to take Canadians who fled Iran for Turkey to locations where they can secure transport out of the region.

Last Thursday, Anand announced that Canadian consular officials would be standing by at border crossings to help citizens who fled Israel or Iran to reach Canada through commercial means.

Countries like France and Australia have been evacuating citizens by bus, while some have managed to flee Israel by ship.

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The airspace has been largely closed over both countries and other parts of the Middle East as Israel and Iran exchange missiles.

Ottawa has come in for criticism over its arrangements for Canadians looking to escape the region and federal officials are set to brief media on the situation this afternoon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press