Overview

• The Crown Iris, an 11-story luxury vessel operated by Mano Maritime, departed Ashdod Port on June 17 under naval escort and arrived in Larnaca after a 13-hour Mediterranean voyage.
• American evacuees will transfer to four wide-body planes chartered by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for flights to Tampa, Florida, upon their arrival in Cyprus.
• About 1,300 Birthright participants remain in Israel, with officials weighing additional maritime departures and potential repatriation flights to complete their evacuation.
• Flights were grounded after Israel struck Iran’s nuclear sites on June 13, leaving nearly 2,800 participants stranded and prompting the cancellation or postponement of some 4,000 summer trips.
• Birthright Israel has offered spare berths on the Crown Iris to other organizations with tourists still stuck in Israel under a coordinated effort with government authorities.