Tel Aviv, June 17 -- It was just before four o'clock on Friday morning. Like most of the other aeroplane passengers, Rachel gazed out the window, trying to detect the first signs of light from Israel in the distance.

The El Al flight had already begun its descent, and it felt like it would take forever. It had been a long, tiring overnight flight from New York, and after several days of work, all she needed was to see her husband and kids. And some rest.

It was at that moment, she recalled to The Press Service of Israel, that the captain informed passengers that "due to a security situation" in Israel the plane was not given clearance to land.

Rachel would learn later that Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, declared a state of emergen...