Israel attacks Iran’s state television, live on the air.

In Tehran, residents weighed whether to take shelter or flee the city as gas stations ran short of fuel and internet and phone services were disrupted. “Where can half a million people go in a moment’s notice?” asked Danial Amin, a resident of the Zafar neighborhood. “The highways are completely blocked. We are trapped.”

Early on Monday, Israel said it had attacked the headquarters of Iran’s elite Quds Force in Tehran. The extent of any casualties or damage could not immediately be verified independently.

Iran continues to return fire by launching barrages of ballistic missiles at Israel. Iranian missiles struck several Israeli cities early on Monday, killing at least eight people, according to Israeli officials.

Since Israel began attacking Iran on Friday, Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran, according to the country’s health ministry, and injured more than 1,400 people. In Israel, the government said at least 24 people had died, with roughly 600 injured.

Here’s what else to know:

• Life on hold: As the Israeli bombardment continues, some Iranians are steeling themselves for a longer conflict. Israel and Iran have traded fire before in recent years, but this time feels different, some residents of Tehran said. Long lines of cars have packed highways heading out of the city, but many residents say they have no place to go.

• Expanding scope of attacks: Israel’s strikes, initially focused on nuclear sites, air defenses and military targets, have also begun targeting the energy industry that underpins much of Iran’s economy. Some of Iran’s air defense systems remain intact, according to an Israeli defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

• Trying to get home: Israel’s closure of its airspace to civilian planes since the attacks began has left tens of thousands of travelers stranded overseas. On Monday, Israel said it would start organizing some airlifts — but it may be three days before those flights begin.

• Weakened Iran: Iran is often portrayed as a dangerous, rogue state whose growing nuclear program and shadowy military capabilities threaten Israel, the United States and beyond. But earlier attacks weakened its leadership and its proxy militias, and the renewed fighting has shown, as never before, just how compromised and weak Iranian forces really are.

The measure is a direct invocation of the War Powers Resolution, a 1973 federal law intended to be a check on the president’s power to enter an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. While it would still allow Mr. Trump to authorize military action in self-defense in the event of an imminent attack, it would compel him to seek approval before carrying out any offensive operations against Iran.

“It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States,” Mr. Kaine said in a statement announcing the resolution. “I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict.”

Since Mr. Trump returned to office in January, Mr. Kaine has led a number of efforts to reassert congressional authority and reclaim power from the executive branch, whether by challenging presidential power over tariffs or scrutinizing U.S. military support for countries with troubling human rights records.

His latest effort reflects growing concern among some on Capitol Hill about the risk of being dragged into a regional war without public debate or legislative approval, though some lawmakers have expressed a willingness to lend additional military support to Israel if tensions with Iran continue to escalate.

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and an outspoken hawk on Iran, said that if a diplomatic solution was not possible that he would urge President Trump to go “all in” against Iran and its nuclear program.

“If that means providing bombs, provide bombs” “Mr. Graham said during an interview on CBS Face The Nation on Sunday. “If that means flying with Israel, fly with Israel.”

A number of senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have issued stark warnings to Iran not to strike at American interests, including troops or military installations.

“The message to the ayatollah is: ‘The United States has troops, facilities, and civilians in the region. Do not attack them. That is our red line. If you go there, all bets are off,” Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the Republican majority whip, said during a Fox News interview on Sunday.

When asked how the U.S. might respond if Iran crossed that red line, Mr. Barrasso said only that “the president has lots of options and incredible capacity.” He did not address whether Congress should be consulted before any military escalation beyond self-defense.

Mr. Kaine’s resolution comes on the heels of Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, a move that Israeli officials described as a necessary act of pre-emption. A number of U.S. lawmakers, including many Democrats, have supported Israel’s right to act, citing a recent U.N. report that found Iran had violated previously agreed-upon limits on uranium enrichment.

But some lawmakers in both parties have urged de-escalation, including a contingent of far-right Republicans aligned with Mr. Trump’s “America First” philosophy who argue the United States should not entangle itself in a foreign conflict.

Still, it remains unclear whether Mr. Kaine’s resolution will gain Republican support. G.O.P. lawmakers have been reluctant to challenge or limit Mr. Trump’s powers. Whether this flashpoint becomes the issue that breaks that pattern may depend on how close the U.S. comes to the brink of war.

Hassan Abedini, the deputy director of Iran’s state broadcasting, said some employees were injured in the Israeli strike, without specifying a number. He said firefighters were trying to contain the fires at the building, which were sending a large column of black smoke into the air.

The attack appeared to have struck only one of the buildings belonging to the state broadcaster, which has a number of other buildings in the area in central Tehran.

Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, confirmed the attack, saying that it took place as programs were being broadcast live. It said that programming was “briefly halted” but “returned to normal” after a few minutes.

The Iranian state broadcaster has long been associated with the government’s dominance of public life and the country’s media. Iran is widely considered to be one of the most repressive states in terms of press freedom; journalists who cross government red lines can face severe consequences.

Before the strike, Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, had said in a statement that “the mouthpiece of Iranian propaganda and incitement is about to disappear.”

The Israeli military later said in a statement that its air force had struck the building to target a “communication center” that was being used by the Iranian military “under the guise of civilian activity.” The claim could not be independently verified.

Elham Abedini, another Iranian state television anchor, captured the wreckage in an Instagram livestream. Her video showed chaos as people ran and shouted amid debris. “They are in the glass building, they are all there,” she can be heard telling a guard in uniform, referring to the channel’s employees.

The attack was preceded by an Israeli evacuation order for the densely-populated Tehran district where the state broadcaster lies. In that statement, the Israeli military said it planned to target “military infrastructure” in the area “in the coming hours.”

In the wars in Gaza against Hamas, and in Lebanon against Hezbollah, Israel frequently used the tactic of telling civilians to either flee or face an impending Israeli attack, even on a specific building. The warnings often prompted panic and fear among people in the targeted zone.

The initial round of Israeli attacks sent oil prices 7 percent higher on Friday. Still, at about $74 a barrel, Brent crude remains below the $80 average for 2024, the Deutsche Bank analysts wrote. The market continued to waver, though, and by Monday, oil prices had fallen about 3 percent.

Such relatively modest levels may seem surprising with fighting raging in a region that produces around 25 million barrels a day, according to Rystad Energy, a consulting firm.

The conflict is also flaring up at a crucial time for oil markets with the start of the summer driving season, when demand rises.

An initial bump in oil prices, followed by a fall.

Despite increasing risks, traders appear to be skeptical about the possibility of disruption. They are assuming that if international mediation manages to halt the fighting, prices could fall sharply.

“As long as supply has not been disrupted, I don’t think we are going to see huge jumps in oil prices, because the geopolitical risk premium is already factored in,” said Bachar El-Halabi, senior energy markets analyst at Argus Media, a commodities research firm.

A nightmare scenario that could double oil prices.

On the other hand, some analysts think the market is being complacent.

”We see the risk of a serious supply outage increasing significantly in an extended war scenario,” Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at the investment bank RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a note to clients.

The most worrisome scenario would be if Iran’s leaders close down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway that leads from the Persian Gulf and, eventually, to the Indian Ocean.

Around one third of the volume of crude oil exported by sea as well as 20 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas, another vital commodity, flow through this cliff-lined channel bordered on the north by Iran, according to Rystad.

Deutsche Bank analysts think that if Iran were to block the strait for two months, prices could soar to $124 a barrel. But an effort to halt shipping is likely to bring a response from the United States, which has ships from the Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain on the Persian Gulf, and other countries.

And closing the strait would harm Iran, which exports most of its oil from terminals on Kharg Island in the gulf.

Prolonged fighting could push oil to $90 a barrel.

Deutsche Bank figures that based on current prices, the market is now assuming the loss of some of Iran’s exports, which recently have been around 1.5 million barrels a day. Most of this oil goes to China, but the small refineries there, which are Iran’s main customers, would need to find other sources of oil if these flows stopped.

Analysts may be focusing too much on the potential for closure of the strait, said Ms. Croft, who added that it would be “exceedingly difficult” to pull off for an extended period.

Instead, the Iranian navy could scare tanker owners by harassing cargo ships, which could disrupt shipping. Tehran could also encourage militia proxies in neighboring Iraq to threaten Baghdad’s oil infrastructure, which exports more than three million barrels a day.

The cost of hiring tankers to carry oil from the region has already jumped, according to Kpler, a firm that tracks shipping. But Kpler analysts said Monday that, so far, the flow of oil from the region was “as normal.”

If the fighting is prolonged, analysts like Ms. Croft said that Israel might hit Iran’s energy export installations to curb Tehran’s ability to finance its nuclear program.

In that case, analysts said, OPEC members like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would increase output, but perhaps not by enough to fully offset the loss of Iranian crude.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs modeled one scenario in which Brent crude jumps to $90 a barrel after the loss of Iranian production but falls back toward $60 a barrel in 2026 as supply recovers.

“Everything’s uncertain,” he said.

Chaos and fear have gripped Iran in the days since Israel launched its surprise attack on Friday and Iran began launching strikes on Israeli cities in response. Israel’s attacks have killed more than 200 people in Iran, according to the country’s health ministry, and injured more than 1,400. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed in retaliatory barrages by Iran, with roughly 600 injured.

The sense of foreboding escalated on Monday after the Israeli military issued an evacuation order on social media for a large part of northeastern Tehran, saying it planned to target “military infrastructure” in the area within hours. With internet connectivity disrupted, many people without access to social media may have missed the warning.

Gas stations are closing because there is no fuel, those that are open have imposed a limit of 10 liters per car and internet and phone service is severely disrupted, according to six residents of the area.

In text and voice messages, several residents of Tehran said that they and their neighbors were scrambling to leave, grabbing essentials and getting on the roads. But for some, the destination was unclear.

“Where should I go? Where can I go? Where can half a million people go in a moment’s notice?” said Danial Amin, a resident of Tehran’s Zafar neighborhood. “The highways are completely blocked. We are trapped.”

Shadi, 42, who lives in Dibaji, a neighborhood in the evacuation area, had already left with her parents and was staying at her brother’s house in another part of the city. Fearing that Israeli strikes would target her brother’s neighborhood next, she hoped that her family could leave Tehran, but she said she was worried about being stuck on the roads.

“All the roads are congested, and we can’t get through,” she said. “The long lines at gas stations make refueling nearly impossible.”

Footage posted on social media and verified by The New York Times on Monday showed long lines of traffic on a highway in northeastern Tehran that leads out of the city. Residents said some gas stations were closing because there is no fuel, and those that were open said they could sell at most 10 liters, or about 2.6 gallons, per customer.

Mohsen, 42, an engineer, left Tehran for Semnan Province to the east on Sunday afternoon with his family, including their dog. He said they brought only what they could fit in their car: some clothes and other belongings, food and bottled water.

The roads were so clogged that a drive that normally takes an hour stretched to four and a half, he said. The journey was made even longer by security personnel who were inspecting vans and trucks at checkpoints set up at the entrances and exits to cities.

Even for those who escape Tehran, conditions were far from stable. Meisam, the poet and writer, said that relatives of his had seen a missile strike while driving on a different highway.

It was not clear that things in his hometown would be any better, he said, since many displaced people had flooded in, overwhelming the supermarkets there.

“If this continues,” Meisam said, “shortages seem inevitable.”

Monika Cvorak and Aaron Boxerman contributed reporting.

An airstrike on an Iranian Embassy building in Syria last year that killed several senior Iranian commanders. The assassination three months later of one of Iran’s top partners while he was visiting Tehran, the Iranian capital. The Israeli bombings of Iranian air defenses in April and October 2024. The systematic decimation or defeat of Iran’s strongest allies around the Middle East, including the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Then, on Friday, came the start of an Israeli campaign that has gone after targets across Iran, crippling its air defenses and killing several of its top military commanders and a number of prominent nuclear scientists. The new round of conflict has killed hundreds of people in Iran and at least 24 in Israel.

Earlier attacks and assassinations in Iran humiliated Tehran, causing recriminations among military officials and pushing it to launch retaliatory barrages against Israel. But the renewed fighting has shown, as never before, just how compromised and weak Iranian forces really are.

“Iran has basically demonstrated again that it was outgunned and outsmarted again by Israel,” said Ellie Geranmayeh, an Iran expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Lacking anything close to the conventional military might of Israel or the United States, its longtime enemies, Iran’s strategy for protecting itself had for years rested on the idea that the combination of its partners in the region and its own missile capabilities would be enough to deter attacks on Iranian soil.

Hezbollah sat on Israel’s northern border. Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq could target American military installations there. And Tehran could launch a barrage of missiles and drones into Israel that would potentially overwhelm Israeli air defenses and shatter the country’s sense of security.

Or so the thinking went.

Instead, Israel demolished Hezbollah in a war on Lebanon last year, then turned the same playbook on Iran. Israeli intelligence managed to penetrate Iran so thoroughly that Israel was able to launch drone attacks on Iranian targets from inside Iran on Friday and killed some of the most senior figures in the Iranian military’s chain of command.

That in turn delayed Iran’s retaliatory response, giving Israel time to prepare for Iran’s missiles, and to launch more attacks.

It marked the second time in as many years that French authorities have sought to stop Israel from marketing its tools of military might, to reflect objections to its massive bombing campaigns in Gaza. And it comes at a fraught moment between the two countries as President Emmanuel Macron of France considers whether to recognize a Palestinian state, a move that Israel strenuously opposes.

The decision was not linked to Israel’s new military offensive in Iran, which aims in part to destroy Tehran’s nuclear program, François Bayrou, France’s prime minister, told reporters at the air show. France also has long worried about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, the Israeli defense ministry’s director general, accused the French government of trying to stifle competition among weapons producers and said he would take the matter to court. He also called the French action “absolutely, bluntly antisemitic.” French officials did not immediately respond to questions about General Baram’s comments.

The walls were put up after Israeli officials objected to what they described as an earlier order by the French government to remove offensive weapons — a category that typically includes missile and rocket launchers, tanks, drones, cannons and a range of ammunition — from Israeli displays.

The walls were built “in the middle of the night, after Israeli defense officials and companies had already finished setting up their displays,” the Israeli defense ministry said in a statement on Monday.

French officials insisted that Israeli authorities were aware of France’s terms weeks in advance. Israeli authorities had agreed that Israeli booths would not be allowed to display offensive weapons, said one French government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.

Four out of nine Israeli exhibitors at the air show complied with the requirements and were open Monday, including a booth run by the Israeli defense ministry itself, the French official noted. But five others failed to comply, the official said, which the French authorities discovered at the last minute. Those booths were the ones blocked from view.

French officials said that the Israeli booths that had been blocked would be able to reopen if they complied with the terms.

Mr. Bayrou said that the decision stemmed from France’s desire to express “distance and disapproval” with Israel’s offensive in Gaza — not with the recent strikes on Iran, which he said were “not at all of the same nature” because of the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program.

“Israel has the right to defend itself,” Mr. Bayrou said. But, he added, “we have also said that the situation in Gaza is morally unacceptable.” France is one of several European countries that have voiced increasingly sharp condemnation of Israel over its conduct in Gaza.

France’s foreign ministry noted on Monday that France exports components to Israel for defensive use, most notably material used for Israel’s protective Iron Dome. But the ministry said that France does not export weapons that could be used in Gaza — a vow that some critics have questioned — and that it could not let Israeli companies promote such weapons on French soil.

The air show is expected to draw as many as 300,000 visitors and features defense displays from more than 2,400 companies in 48 countries. The Israeli companies are in the same halls as some of the American weapons exhibitions, and the walls drew condemnation from Republican Govs. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, who attended the show.

Ms. Sanders said the decision to block access to some of Israel’s weapons displays “seems very short sighted” and called it “important for us to show our support of Israel and of these companies.”

Representatives for the show, held at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

After Israel was initially banned last year from attending the weapons show, a court in Paris ruled that the exclusion was discriminatory and ordered the ban to be rescinded.

In January, during a short-lived cease-fire in Gaza, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Mr. Macron had assured him that Israeli weapons companies would be allowed to participate in this year’s arms show.

After Israel began new, intensified airstrikes against Iran last week, Mr. Macron said “we don’t want a Middle East with a nuclear-armed Iran” and that Israel had a right to defend itself.

But he also said that Gazans should not live under long-term Israeli occupation or mistreated. Israel’s military recently lifted an 80-day blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza as its population approached the brink of starvation.

Liz Alderman contributed reporting.

Israel on Friday targeted the Natanz site, where Iran produces most of its nuclear fuel, work that has put the country on the cusp of being able to produce a nuclear weapon. The attack destroyed the aboveground part of the fuel enrichment plant, including electricity infrastructure, raising fears of contamination.

“There has been no additional damage at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant site since the Friday attack,” Rafael Grossi, head of the I.A.E.A. said in a statement to the agency’s board of governors in Vienna.

He added: “There has been no indication of a physical attack on the underground cascade hall,” where uranium was being enriched, though the loss of power “may have damaged the centrifuges there.”

The level of radioactivity outside Natanz “has remained unchanged and at normal levels,” Mr. Grossi said. It is possible that some nuclear material at the facility “poses a significant danger” if it is inhaled or ingested, he said.

Israel began attacking Iran on Friday, aiming to force the country to give up its nuclear enrichment program, which it said could be used to create a nuclear bomb. Israel has also killed nuclear scientists, as well as top military commanders, as part of its campaign, aiming to undercut the knowledge base needed to build a bomb.

Iran says its nuclear industry is solely for civilian use, and it has given no hint that it would end its development program. It has launched deadly waves of missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation.

Mr. Grossi said that the nuclear agency could respond to any nuclear emergency and was monitoring the situation at the country’s nuclear sites, and said it was in constant contact with the Iranian authorities. Last Thursday, the agency said that Iran was not complying with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, the first time the agency has passed a resolution against the country in 20 years.

Iran has taken steps over the years to shield its nuclear industry from the possibility of Israeli attack. The main site for uranium enrichment is at Natanz, which is roughly 140 miles south of Tehran.

Other sites include Parchin, a military complex southeast of Tehran where Iran has tested high explosives.

Israel has used such evacuation orders extensively as part of its wars in Gaza and Lebanon to order civilians to flee en masse. During Israel’s campaign in Lebanon, the Israeli military often pinpointed specific buildings that were about to be attacked and called on the residents in and around the targets to leave for their own safety.

The order applies to District 3 in Tehran, a densely populated, upscale residential area with apartment towers, malls, and streets lined with cafes and restaurants. Iran’s state broadcaster is also located in the district. Two residents of the area said in telephone interviews that friends and family were sending one another texts asking how to get out and where to go.

“There was a huge explosion — more than just a boom,” said Tali Asher, 44, a nurse who lives with her family on the first floor of the building. “The floors and walls shook, the lights went out, and the room was instantly filled with this powdery dust, and we couldn’t breathe.”

The worst destruction occurred two floors above Ms. Asher’s home, but the shock waves from that explosion were still strong enough to cause damage that kept her family trapped inside their apartment until rescue workers pulled them out, Ms. Asher said.

“What we saw was total chaos,” Ms. Asher added. “No windows, broken glass all over the floors, broken metal and our furniture all moved around.”

Ofir Pinsker’s apartment on the third floor suffered a direct hit. “Gone, collapsed,” Mr. Pinsker said as he waited outside later that morning.

He said that his family had survived by sheltering in their fortified safe room — a standard feature in most Israeli homes. But the rest of the apartment was heavily damaged. Mr. Pinsker’s son sat nearby on the curb, next to several grocery bags stuffed with possessions the family had managed to salvage from the wreckage.

Everything else, Mr. Pinsker said, was “buried under broken glass.”

Here’s a look at what the Quds Force is, how it operates, and why it is so important in the escalating clash between Iran and Israel.

What is the Quds Force?

It is an elite unit within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, tasked with overseeing the country’s foreign operations and support for proxy groups across the Middle East. Named after the Arabic word for Jerusalem, the Quds Force reports directly to the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Quds Force has long played a central role in supporting what Iran called the “axis of resistance,” a coalition of militias and political movements across the region that oppose Israel and the United States.

The unit has trained, armed and funded groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen. Before Israeli offensives severely weakened this regional network, these alliances allowed Iran to exert its influence across the Middle East, shaping the political landscapes of neighboring states in its favor. This included shoring up the Assad regime in Syria and arming Hezbollah to provide a forward line of defense for Iran along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

The Quds Force is also believed to have orchestrated operations beyond the Middle East, in Latin America and Europe, according to the U.S. government and intelligence agencies. Activities have included plots to assassinate dissidents, smuggle weapons and conduct espionage targeting U.S. and allied interests.

Who are its leaders?

For more than two decades, the Quds Force was led by Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who spearheaded Tehran’s ambitions to build an axis of military groups across the region to defend Iran’s interests and counter the United States and Israel. Mr. Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike authorized by President Trump in Baghdad in January 2020, dealing a significant blow to the organization.

He was replaced by Gen. Esmail Ghaani, but some analysts say that the unit’s reach and effectiveness has been under strain without General Soleimani’s personal networks and strategic expertise.

How has it fought with Israel?

Before the latest escalation, the Quds Force had been at the center of the long-running covert conflict between Iran and Israel.

The regional adversaries have clashed indirectly through cyberattacks, sabotage operations, targeted assassinations, and maritime attacks. For years, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Iranian-linked targets in Syria — including weapons convoys, drone and missile sites, and military infrastructure. Much of it was operated or supplied by the Quds Force and its allied militias, according to Israeli officials and analysts.

Last year, an Israeli strike on an Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, killed a senior Quds force commander, Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and several other Revolutionary Guards officers.

Israel’s assault in recent days has already killed several senior Iranian commanders. A successful strike against the Quds Force — the nerve center of Iran’s military footprint across the region — would represent one of Israel’s most consequential attacks.

Israel launched its surprise attack in the early hours of Friday morning and abruptly closed its airspace to civilian traffic. Officials estimated the number of Israelis abroad to be 100,000 to 150,000. Many marooned travelers said they had received no information about how they might return home, or when.

Israel’s minister of transportation, Miri Regev, announced a plan on Monday to begin flying Israelis back, in coordination with the defense ministry. But she cautioned that it would “take time.”

The first flights will likely depart in the coming days from places where there are large concentrations of Israelis such as Athens, Larnaca in Cyprus, New York and Bangkok, she added.

Despite Israel’s long Mediterranean coastline and relative proximity to tourism destinations like Cyprus, there are no regular ferry services. The government said, however, that it was discussing maritime options with an Israeli cruise company.

Some stranded travelers were trying to get home via Israel’s land borders with Jordan and Egypt. But the Israeli National Security Council has advised citizens to avoid those routes because of security risks associated with the latest tensions in the region.

Israel’s foreign ministry has asked citizens abroad to register their details on a digital platform. The expectation was that it could take weeks to bring back all those wanting to return.

Israeli airlines have moved their planes out of the country.

Rachel Brettler and her partner headed for Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, on Thursday, to fly out for a six-night vacation on the Greek island of Santorini. They had mused in the taxi about rumors that Israel might attack Iran, Ms. Brettler said, but thought little more of it.

“We couldn’t believe the news when we woke the next morning,” Ms. Brettler said, speaking by phone from Santorini. The couple were planning on going to London, where they have family.

Ms. Brettler said it was “unsettling” to be away from their home in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, at a time like this. They were still receiving missile alerts from Israel on their cellphones.

With Iranian ballistic missiles hitting Israeli cities, resulting in fatalities and destruction, some Israeli travelers were having qualms about returning.

Sivan Hashuel, 29, was in Sounion, in Greece, for what was supposed to be a five-day vacation. Her flight home had been scheduled for Sunday.

“I am in a big dilemma about whether to come back,” she said, adding, “It feels like I’m in the best and most logical place to be right now.”

On the other hand, she said, her heart was with her partner and friends back in Jerusalem — young people living on high floors in old apartment buildings with no easy access to fortified safe rooms or bomb shelters.

Travel in and out of Israel had already been severely curtailed after the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which set off the war in Gaza. Many international airlines suspended flights to and from the country.

Amid the travel upheaval, some visitors have also found themselves stuck in Israel.

Myra Noveck contributed reporting from Jerusalem.