Ahmedabad, March 4 (NationPress) Passengers who returned from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, received a warm welcome at Terminal 2 of Ahmedabad International Airport on Wednesday. Families and friends congregated at the airport, expressing heartfelt thanks to the government for ensuring their safe arrival back home amidst recent travel complications.

Many of the travelers had gone to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, but numerous flights set to return on February 28 were cancelled due to rising tensions from the Israel-Iran conflict, causing distress among families.

A family member shared with IANS, “My sister went for Umrah, and her return flight on the 28th was cancelled, which left her very anxious. We sought assistance from the government, and they played a crucial role in bringing her back safely. This is a moment of immense joy for our family.”

Another relative stated, “My son traveled to Mecca for Umrah, and his flight was also cancelled on February 28. The media and government were incredibly supportive during this time.”

A third family member expressed, “The past few days were challenging, but we are thankful to the government. Thank you, Modiji.”

On February 28, Tehran experienced significant explosions after Israel conducted what it termed “preventive” missile strikes against Iran, significantly heightening regional tensions, according to local media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Iran deliberately targets civilians, while Israel and the United States aim at “mass terrorists,” defending the recent military actions and praising US President Donald Trump for his firmness.

Before deciding on military strikes against Iran, President Trump had reiterated at least 74 times that Tehran cannot possess a nuclear weapon.

The White House stated on Monday that President Trump has been “unequivocal and consistent for decades” that Iran will never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, releasing a compilation of his statements spanning 15 years, dating back to November 2011.

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, sharply criticized remarks from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, claiming there was never any “Iranian threat” and blaming “Israel Firsters” for the bloodshed of both Americans and Iranians.

Rubio indicated that Washington launched strikes on Iran after learning that Israel was preparing to act, amid fears that Tehran might retaliate against American forces in the area. “We anticipated an Israeli action and knew it would provoke an attack against American forces. If we hadn’t acted preemptively, we would have faced higher casualties,” Rubio told reporters.