Seoul, March 8 (AHN) A chartered plane departed from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday to bring home hundreds of South Koreans stranded in the Middle Eastern country amid the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said.

An Etihad Airways chartered flight carrying 203 South Koreans and their three foreign spouses departed from Abu Dhabi at 5:35 p.m. (Korean time), according to the ministry. The plane is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at around 2 a.m. Monday, Yonhap News Agency reported.

South Korea has been seeking to bring home some 3,000 nationals stranded in the UAE due to flight disruptions amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Around 1,500 South Koreans, including those aboard the chartered plane, have left from the UAE since flights heading to and departing from the country have been resumed.

The Foreign Ministry has dispatched a joint rapid response team to the UAE to assist evacuation operations. Since early Saturday, the South Korean Embassy in the UAE has received applications from South Korean nationals wishing to board the chartered plane.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry raised travel alerts for Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

A Level 3 travel alert, which advises nationals to leave the country, will be applied to the seven countries as of Sunday from a special travel advisory, according to the ministry.

In particular, all areas of Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait will be subject to the Level 3 alert.

"We are calling for South Korean nationals planning to visit those regions to cancel or postpone their trip," the ministry said. "We are also urging those staying there to withdraw unless business is urgent."