[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Over 400 Koreans Remaining in Israel... Will Cygnus Be Deployed Additionaly?

Large-Scale Ground Troop Deployment Imminent in Israel's Gaza Strip
Evacuation of Overseas Nationals Likely Difficult Amid Largest-Scale Invasion

There is a high possibility that additional transport aircraft from our military will be deployed to evacuate overseas nationals in Israel. This is because the escape routes for overseas nationals are limited as Israel is about to deploy ground forces to the Gaza Strip to confront the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

According to the military on the 16th, on the morning of the 14th, the Air Force's KC-330 ‘Cygnus’ multipurpose aerial refueling transport aircraft carrying 220 people, including Koreans, Japanese, and Singaporeans, arrived at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The transport aircraft that landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, carried 163 of our nationals, including 81 long-term residents and 82 short-term travelers, excluding foreigners. However, it is understood that about 440 Korean long-term residents and about 10 short-term residents still remain in Israel.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government is guiding those wishing to leave to exit Israel via land routes or flights to third countries, but the local situation is reported to make escape difficult.

Israel plans to deploy tens of thousands of troops soon for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas. This is the largest invasion since the 2006 Lebanon War, aiming to eliminate Hamas leadership. The military operation was originally planned for this weekend but was delayed due to poor weather conditions that made aerial support with drones difficult.

Although the Israeli military has not officially announced a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, it is known to be focusing on important ground operations and deploying troops nationwide in preparation for the next phase of the war, making movement for overseas nationals difficult.

If the government deploys additional military transport aircraft, there is a possibility of simultaneously deploying the C-130 and KC-330 Cygnus, as many overseas nationals still remain. The Cygnus was originally introduced for aerial refueling missions, but compared to the C-130J, it has nearly double the range, making it suitable for evacuation operations. It can carry about 300 people and up to 37 tons of cargo at once. It also has the advantage of being a long-range strategic transport aircraft capable of direct flights anywhere in the world.

The Cygnus was deployed along with two C-130Js in August 2021 when Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban, carrying out the ‘Miracle Operation’ to rescue about 390 Afghan special contributors and their families. It was also deployed in April to evacuate nationals to a safe area from Sudan in North Africa, where armed conflict between warlords occurred.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.