China has begun evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran and was pushing for a ceasefire in the conflict between the two Middle Eastern foes on Tuesday, The Straits Times reports.

China's foreign ministry said embassies and consulates have been offering assistance to those seeking to evacuate since the outbreak of fighting. The Chinese embassy in Iran issued an evacuation notice on Tuesday, saying that Iran's airspace is still closed, and there are risks that Iran's land border crossings will also be closed in the near future. The notice listed border points for Chinese citizens to enter Turkey, Armenia and, Turkmenistan.

On June 13, Israel attacked Iran, and this was followed by retaliatory measures by Iran. Military actions between the two countries are continuing to this day.