Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued an urgent warning Thursday for Polish nationals to immediately exit Iran, cautioning that evacuation options may disappear within hours. The alert comes as Israel reportedly heightens military readiness and the U.S. deploys significant air power to the Middle East region.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued an emergency directive Thursday, calling on all Polish nationals currently in Iran to depart the country without delay as deteriorating security conditions threaten to close evacuation pathways.
“In a few hours, there may be no more possibility to evacuate Poles from Iran,” Tusk declared, emphasizing the urgent need for “all Poles in Iran” to leave immediately.
The Polish government has conducted similar rescue operations in the past during escalating tensions across the Middle East, with previous missions involving Polish nationals traveling through adjacent nations before being transported back to Poland, as reported by Polish government media and diplomatic officials.
The United States issued its second evacuation advisory in early February, with the State Department strongly recommending that American citizens depart Iran immediately. The Virtual U.S. Embassy warned Americans to make departure plans independently without counting on U.S. government support, pointing to escalating security threats, communication limitations, and volatile travel circumstances. The initial American warning was released in January following widespread demonstrations and violent government responses.
According to Israel’s national broadcaster Kan, Israeli officials have elevated their military alert status Thursday and believe a potential conflict with Iran may commence “within days,” possibly extending into a multi-week military operation.
These evacuation warnings align with reports of substantial American military reinforcement throughout the Middle East. Axios reported, referencing flight tracking information and a U.S. official, that the Trump administration deployed a second naval carrier battle group to the area last week. The report indicates over 50 combat aircraft, including F-35, F-22, and F-16 fighters, have been repositioned to Middle Eastern bases in the past day.
The Wall Street Journal characterized the current American air force deployment as the most extensive regional presence since the 2003 Iraq invasion. The publication noted this military buildup would enable extended operations beyond the scope of last June’s U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear installations during the Israel-Iran conflict, which utilized B-2 strategic bombers.