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SAVANNAH, Ga. () — As tensions rise near Tel Aviv, Israel, a couple from Richmond Hill finds themselves seeking refuge amid the escalating conflict.
Brian and Yael Shuman embarked on a three-week family vacation that unexpectedly took a dramatic turn.
“We were scheduled to fly home tomorrow, but a few days ago, we received a cancellation notice for our flight,” Brian explained. “The message was brief: no flight, stay tuned.”
Their journey, which began on a positive note, took a sudden shift on Saturday. The Shumans were directed to a secure shelter when the alarms first blared.
“It was at sunrise, I think. The sirens woke us up,” Brian recounted. “We hadn’t even checked our phones yet. Our hosts mentioned hearing aircrafts taking off a few hours earlier. Our introduction to the conflict came that Saturday morning, marked by sirens echoing throughout the nation.”
On Saturday, the United States launched strikes on Iran. Israel launched “preemptive” attacks against Iran and declared a state of emergency throughout the country, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday.
“I think that’s what really affected me was we saw the missile trail, but it seemed far away,” Brian said. “My first response was, okay, this isn’t really here. Then, when they were intercepted, there was the explosion and the sound in the car; we could feel the bump. We could feel that shake. It could be 20 miles away, but these things are powerful. “
The couple said they knew there was a slight possibility that something could have happened, but they said the trip was long overdue. It has been over 20 years since the Shuman’s last went to Israel.
Their experience doesn’t change the way they view the country. When the strike first happened, everyone around them knew exactly what to do, Yael said.
“This is, really unfortunately, a normal part of their lives, Yael said. “Their lives are threatened, you know, a lot. So, you know, they’ve grown up with this. They know how to handle this. And it’s just kind of a matter-of-fact thing that they deal with.”
The Shumans said they have had to evacuate to their safe shelter multiple times a day. When they have to go out to get food and necessities, the streets look different from how they did when they first arrived.
“You can feel it. It’s palpable,” Brian said. “People will go out and do what they have to do, but only as quickly as they can.”
The Shuman’s are unsure of their return plans as there are no return flights available. However, they said they will continue to stay safe with family in the meantime.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Administration is working to arrange charter flights and commercial flights to help Americans get home.