LOOK: Spain repatriates 171 citizens trapped in the Middle East conflict

Spain repatriates 171 citizens from Oman amid Middle East conflict, as regional air travel remains largely suspended due to ongoing U.S. and Israeli military actions.

Reuters

5 March 2026 at 06:52:02

LOOK: Spain repatriates 171 citizens trapped in the Middle East conflict

Spanish nationals, who are trapped in the Middle East amid the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran, wait to board a military repatriation flight at an unknown location in Oman, in this handout photo released March 4, 2026.

Spanish Defence Ministry/Reuters

Spain evacuated a group of 171 Spaniards from Oman on Wednesday (March 4) on an A330 military plane.

Spanish nationals, who are trapped in the Middle East amid the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran, board a military repatriation flight at an unknown location in Oman, in this handout photo released March 4, 2026. Spanish Defence Ministry/Reuters

The group of repatriated Spaniards, including children, left on Wednesday evening towards Torrejon military air base, the defence ministry said.

Repatriation flights were due to depart from the Middle East on Wednesday as governments rushed to bring home tens of thousands of citizens stranded by the intensifying U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran.

Commercial air traffic remained largely absent across much of the region, with major Gulf hubs - including Dubai, the world's busiest airport for international passengers - largely shut for a fifth straight day, in the biggest travel disruption since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Production: Elena Rodriguez/Reuters