ISTANBUL

China has evacuated 10,000 of its citizens from the Middle East as US-Israel attacks on Iran and its retaliation continues.

"Through concerted efforts, over 10,000 Chinese passengers have safely returned to China from countries including the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference in Beijing, highlighting efforts to bring back passengers stranded in the Middle East.

"As the fighting continues, some airports in the Middle East have yet to fully resume operation. The Foreign Ministry once again urges Chinese nationals not to travel to Iran’s neighboring countries and regions impacted by the military conflict," he added.

Approximately, 6,300 South Korean citizens have also left the region over the past week, Yonhap news agency reported.

The remaining South Koreans in the 14 countries in the region was about 14,700 as of Monday, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Regional escalation escalated after Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28. They have since killed more than 1,200 victims, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was the supreme leader.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets. Tehran has refused to surrender and chose Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader.