Airstrikes and related attacks across the Middle East have forced the region’s airports to close or severely restrict flights, leaving thousands of travelers — including many Americans — unable to continue their journeys. CBS reporter Shanelle Kaul filed this account.
Dubai, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, was among the locations affected after a strike attributed to Iran. Flights throughout the region were grounded, and passengers were told to evacuate terminals. Some travelers who expected only brief layovers suddenly found themselves stranded.
Chicago DJ Mixu Patel had planned a stop in nearby Abu Dhabi en route to India. At the gate he received emergency alerts telling passengers to stay away from windows because of a possible missile threat. Patel said the warning felt more alarming than the weather advisories he was used to, and it left him and other travelers unnerved as they waited for further instructions.
A separate drone attack damaged Kuwait International Airport, and the situation prompted authorities in Doha and Israel to close their airspace as a precaution. With commercial flights suspended, many passengers faced the prospect of long delays, canceled itineraries and limited options for getting home.
A group of U.S. Baptist pastors visiting Israel for a Bible study spent much of the weekend sheltering from strikes and moving between bomb shelters. Pastor Wes Church, traveling from Columbia, South Carolina, described the group as effectively stuck and said they had begun moving south in hopes of crossing into Egypt or Jordan once borders reopened. For travelers in the region, decisions about where to go next have often been made quickly and with little certainty.
The U.S. State Department has advised Americans abroad to develop independent departure plans and warned against relying on immediate government-assisted evacuation. The U.S. embassy in Israel announced it would close the following day, a move that adds urgency for those still seeking safe passage.
As commercial aviation remains disrupted, many Americans are arranging alternate routes, seeking overland crossings, or waiting for airports and airspace to reopen. Officials and travelers alike say the situation is fluid; those affected continue to monitor alerts from airlines, local authorities and the U.S. government as they try to return home.
Reporting by Shanelle Kaul.