Ben Gurion Airport Partially Reopened — First Outbound Flights Since War Began Feb 28

Ben Gurion International Airport partially reopened for outbound flights on Day 10 — the first outbound commercial flights since the airport was shut on February 28 when Israel and the US launched the opening strike on Iran. Only two narrow-body aircraft are permitted to depart per hour, each carrying 70-100 passengers, creating a severely bottlenecked capacity of approximately 140-200 departures per hour. The partial reopening follows sustained diplomatic pressure from foreign governments seeking to repatriate nationals, and commercial pressure from airlines with stranded passengers. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee had previously advised US citizens in Israel wishing to leave to do so via Egypt, citing 'limited options' — Israel's land border with Egypt via the Taba crossing has been one of the few departure routes available. The partial reopening sparked controversy when it emerged that Israeli Social Equality Minister May Golan had flown to New York in business class on El Al to attend a UN International Women's Day event, while thousands of Israelis remain unable to travel.