Beijing: China announced Sunday it will continue evacuating its nationals from Israel amid fear of further escalation in the region after the US carried out strikes against Iran. The Chinese Embassy in Israel has highlighted the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, noting an increase in missile strikes and rising casualties, Global Times reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, the embassy reported that the clearance process at land border crossings is slow, and the situation for connecting flights out of the country is becoming increasingly tense. Nearly 300 Chinese citizens have been evacuated in three batches via Egypt, with most having returned to China. The embassy plans to organize the final two batches of evacuations via the Be'er (Taba) crossing on June 23 and 25.

The situation in the region deteriorated further after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces conducted "very successful" airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. This development has heightened fears of a broader conflict. Hostilities began on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple sites in Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran.

Israeli authorities have reported that at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured due to Iranian missile attacks. Meanwhile, the Iranian Health Ministry has stated that 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in the Israeli assault.