Ministry of Transport: Sea Ports Operating 24/7; Operation Lions of the East Begins

Israel’s Minister of Transport, Miri Regev, held a special press briefing last Thursday on the 13th day of Operation "Lion's Roar." During the briefing, which was attended by the senior leadership of the Ministry of Transport and heads of infrastructure and logistics bodies, the Minister presented the status of Israel's functional continuity across sea, air, and land.

The Minister emphasized that despite the state of conflict, all of Israel's sea ports are operating at full capacity to ensure the continuity of trade and the supply chain for the economy. "The ports are working around the clock, maritime trade continues, and transport systems are operational," Regev noted.

The Minister noted that since the reopening of the airspace at midnight on Wednesday, there has been brisk movement at Ben Gurion International Airport and land crossings. As part of Operation "Lion's Wings," nearly 100,000 citizens have returned to Israel.

The operational map for the repatriation of Israelis:

Operation "Lionesses of the Gulf": Entering its final stage. Thousands of Israelis have been returned from the UAE, and by Saturday night, the return of all those wishing to come back is expected to be completed. The Minister thanked the ruler of the UAE for his assistance in prioritizing rescue flights.

Operation "Lions of the East": Scheduled to begin this coming Sunday, focusing on Bangkok, Phuket, and Tokyo. The plan includes approximately 5 to 6 daily flights using wide-body aircraft, with the goal of returning about 8,000 Israelis within a week, ahead of the Passover holiday.

In this context, the Ministry of Transport continues to operate a free shuttle system from Ben Gurion Airport and land crossings, alongside digital services to update the public in real-time.

Director General of the Ministry of Transport, Moshe Ben Zaken: "Operation 'Lions of the East' is a direct continuation of the national effort to return Israelis. We are working in close cooperation with security officials to ensure full functional continuity even during emergencies."

The briefing was attended by, among others, the Chairman of the Israel Ports Company (IPC), Hezi Halaviya; the Director of the Administration of Shipping and Ports (ASP), Zadok Radker; the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Shmuel Zakai; and the Chairman of the Israel Airports Authority (IAA), Yiftach Ron-Tal, who all addressed the readiness of national infrastructure for the ongoing conflict.