The first flight carrying Israeli people who were stranded abroad after Israel and Iran began trading strikes has landed. The plane, which brought home Israelis stuck in Larnaca, Cyprus, arrived at Ben Gurion Airport just outside of Tel Aviv on Wednesday (18 June). Since the Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliatory attacks broke out overnight Friday (13 June), Israel's transport ministry estimates that more than 50,000 stranded residents are trying to come home. Last week, Israel closed its airspace for civil aviation after it launched Operation “Rising Lion”, a campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear program and military leaders.

Watch as Israelis huddle in bomb shelters in Tel Aviv as air raid sirens sound to warn residents of incoming Iranian missile strikes. Footage shared by the Associated Press (AP)…

Since the conflict with Iran broke out, Israel's airspace has been closed and all flights suspended