Over 1000 Bulgarian tourists stranded in Middle East for third day

A total of 1092 Bulgarian tourists currently in Middle Eastern countries remain stranded for a third day in a row amid ongoing disruptions in the region. According to Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry, thousands of Bulgarian citizens who permanently reside in the area are also affected.

Earlier on Tuesday, many Bulgarians reported hearing explosions and said they were still searching for ways to evacuate or return home. For now, they are unable to proceed with evacuation by land, air, or sea, authorities said.

The Foreign Ministry has provided emergency contact numbers offering basic information to citizens in the region.

The scale of the disruption is significant: more than 3,400 flights were canceled yesterday, while today the number has already exceeded 2,000 across seven major airports in the Persian Gulf.

Some airlines have announced that their flights will remain grounded until March 7. Others say operations could resume as early as March 3, though this remains uncertain due to ongoing concerns over regional airspace.