On January 8, 2026, reports emerged indicating that Russia has initiated an emergency withdrawal of its embassy staff and their families from Tel Aviv. Monitoring channels first highlighted the pullout after observing three evacuation flights departing Israel within a 24-hour window, citing urgent “important information” as the likely driver for the move. While Moscow’s foreign ministry has not officially confirmed a total pullout, sources suggest the evacuation focuses on non-essential personnel and is a precautionary measure to safeguard staff.

The evacuation follows a significant rise in regional threats. On January 6, 2026, the newly formed Iranian Defence Council—established following the 12-day air w@r in mid-2025—issued a warning that Tehran might take “preemptive measures” if it detects tangible signs of a threat from the U.S. or Israel. The council stated it no longer considers itself restricted to responding only after an attack has occurred.
Strategic developments fueling the current crisis:

Preemptive Warning: Tehran warned on Tuesday that any interference in internal affairs or attempts to destabilize the country would trigger a decisive, preemptive response.

Flight Tracking: Reports centered on flight RWZ016 (registration RA-64516), which has been flying between Tel Aviv and Moscow daily. Some analysts suggest the “emergency” nature is confirmed by irregular flight paths, though others argue the tail number might be an intentional or accidental typo for a standard commercial flight.

Historical Precedent: This follows a similar advisory in June 2025, when Russia urged its citizens to leave Israel via Egypt as an air w@r intensified, leading to 24 deaths in Israel and over 200 in Iran.

As of January 9, 2026, international observers are wary that this diplomatic realignment signals an imminent large-scale engagement. Foreign missions across the region are reportedly increasing security protocols as the possibility of a preemptive Iranian strike by the end of January looms.