Canada’s first evacuation flight leaves Middle East amid Israel-Iran strikes

OTTAWA – Global Affairs Canada says dozens of Canadians left the Middle East on a flight Ottawa chartered Tuesday.

The department says the flight from Jordan to Athens with 265 seats had 95 passengers, whom consular staff helped to book commercial travel back to Canada.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Canada is also helping allied nations get their citizens out of the Middle East but adds the number of foreign nationals asking for help is “minimal” compared to the number of Canadians.

Her department is planning to have more buses help Canadians leave Israel and West Bank for Jordan, with the aim of having them gather people on Wednesday.

Global Affairs Canada has boosted consular assistance in the region after war broke out last week between Israel and Iran, though Canada has faced criticism for offering less support than allied countries.

The department says it has helped more than 600 Canadians, permanent residents and eligible family members who have left Israel, Iran and the West Bank in the past week.

Canada has not had a diplomatic presence in Iran since 2012, and Ottawa has sent officials to areas bordering Iran for those who manage to flee the country for Turkey, Armenia or Azerbaijan.

As of Tuesday, there are 6,100 Canadians who have registered as being in Israel, with 6,100 in Iran and 450 in either the West Bank or Gaza.

There are also 7,100 Canadians who have registered with Global Affairs Canada as being in Qatar and one thousand in Iraq. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2025.