New Zealand to Deploy Military Planes to Evacuate Its Citizens From Middle East
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defense Minister Judith Collins said in a statement that the government was also speaking to commercial airlines, including to discuss charter flight options
By : AP
Update: 2026-03-05 05:05 GMT
New Zealand’s government will deploy two military planes to the Middle East so that New Zealanders can be evacuated when conditions permit, officials said Thursday.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defense Minister Judith Collins said in a statement that the government was also speaking to commercial airlines, including to discuss charter flight options. Commercial services from Dubai to Auckland, New Zealand, are not currently operating.
There are about 3,000 New Zealanders known to be living in the Middle East, officials said.
“We cannot be sure when and how any civilian evacuation operations might be possible, but we want to be ready if and when conditions on the ground make them possible,” Peters said.