Forty-five Israeli tourists trapped by a renewed surge of fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region were evacuated in a joint operation combining helicopter airlifts and escorted road convoys. The mission, coordinated by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Addis Ababa, was delayed because of rising security risks. About 20 people traveled by road under military protection while roughly 25, including elderly travellers, were airlifted to safety.
45 Israeli Tourists Evacuated From Ethiopia’s Tigray After Renewed Fighting, Foreign Ministry Says
Members of the Tigrayan forces patrol along a street as tensions intensify after the forces launched a major offensive against the federal government in multiple locations, in Mekelle, Tigray Region, Ethiopia, September 24, 2026. (photo credit: REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Forty-five Israeli tourists who were trapped after fighting resumed in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region have been evacuated in a coordinated operation that combined military helicopter lifts and protected overland escorts, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said.
According to statements from the Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa, the group became stranded in an active combat zone before the extraction. Officials said the mission was delayed initially because escalating fighting and deteriorating security made an immediate rescue too dangerous.
"The rescue was made possible following intensive activity by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, the Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa, who worked in continuous coordination with the relevant parties in Ethiopia," the Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry added that helicopters transported part of the group to a secure staging area from which they were flown or escorted on to Addis Ababa. Israeli officials thanked Ethiopian authorities for their cooperation and the other partners who assisted in the operation, and said they would continue to accompany and assist the evacuees until they arrived safely in the capital.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on September 8, 2026, to outline the operation and the coordination behind the rescue (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90).
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar hold a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, September 8, 2026 (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
The 45 tourists were divided into two groups: roughly 20 people who traveled by road to a safe city under protection and coordination with the Ethiopian military and Israeli officials, and about 25 people — including elderly travellers — who were evacuated by helicopter.
The rescue took place amid a renewed round of clashes between federal forces and fighters from the Tigray region. The fighting has spilled into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, and reports indicate that Tigrayan forces seized control of some airports, prompting civilian flight cancellations. Communications networks have been disrupted in parts of the north, and drone activity has been reported in certain areas.
At the same time, seven armed groups from across Ethiopia have announced a united front opposed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, and Addis Ababa has accused neighbouring Eritrea of supporting its opponents. The current flare-up is described as the most serious violence since the Tigray war ended in 2022.
The Tigray conflict began in November 2020 between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The war was accompanied by famine, mass displacement, massacres and grave human rights violations, and concluded with a peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022.
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