Over 2,000 Canadians Seek Help to Leave Middle East

More than 2,000 Canadians have asked the government for help to leave the Middle East as regional tensions rise following military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran, a Canadian official said on Wednesday.

The requests come as conflict in the region intensifies, prompting several governments to prepare evacuation plans for their citizens. Canada’s foreign ministry is coordinating efforts to help nationals depart through commercial flights, charter services and ground transport where possible.

Officials said about half of the requests for assistance came from Canadians in the United Arab Emirates. Additional inquiries have been reported from other countries across the region, including around 200 from Qatar and about 160 from Lebanon.

• Over 2,000 Canadians seek help to leave Middle East crisis
• Canada prepares evacuation routes amid regional conflict tensions
• Flight disruptions complicate evacuation of Canadians abroad

Authorities say they are working to secure seats on flights departing from major regional hubs. At least 75 seats were made available on a flight leaving Beirut, and officials expect more seats to be available in the coming days.

Canadian officials are also arranging alternative travel routes for citizens in areas where air travel disruption has occurred. In Qatar, some Canadians are being transported by bus to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, while in Israel they have been directed to Israeli government buses travelling toward Egypt.

Evacuation efforts have become more difficult as commercial air traffic across parts of the Middle East has been disrupted. Major transit hubs such as Dubai have seen widespread flight cancellations, leaving many travellers and expatriates searching for ways to leave the region.

Canadian officials also acknowledged limits in assisting citizens in Iran, where Canada does not maintain a diplomatic presence. The lack of an embassy or consulate restricts Ottawa’s ability to provide direct consular services or organize evacuation operations inside the country.

Government estimates suggest that more than 100,000 Canadians may be living or travelling across the Middle East, although many are not registered with Canadian authorities or consular services.

Foreign Minister Anita Anand said the government’s priority is the safety of Canadians abroad while officials monitor the security situation. Ottawa has issued travel advisories urging citizens to avoid travel to several countries in the region and to register with Canadian authorities for emergency updates.

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Officials said evacuation efforts could expand if the security situation worsens or if more Canadians request government assistance to leave the region.