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As the conflict between the United States and Iran enters its second week, flight cancellations and airport closures have rippled across Middle Eastern airspace, leaving many Americans abroad scrambling to find a way home.
Stranded American citizen Yahir, who was in Bahrain when the conflict erupted, told Fox News Digital he had a close call over the weekend when an alleged Iranian drone slammed into the lower floors of a high-rise building where he was staying. The building was a luxury residential tower that reportedly housed many American tourists and U.S. Navy personnel likely stationed with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquartered near the capital, Manama.
Yahir, from Los Angeles, said that despite witnessing terrifying scenes of the conflict and experiencing one firsthand, he is still waiting for help getting home, claiming local U.S. embassies and State Department officials have put him through a maze of logistical hurdles with no clear next steps.
“Two days ago, my building was hit,” Yahir said, referring to Fontana Infinity, located in Manama. “I was in the building at the time and, of course, the whole building shook. It felt like an earthquake.”
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Fire erupts from a high-rise tower in Manama, Bahrain, following a reported strike. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
“It was a shock, but it makes sense because everyone living there was American besides a few Russians here and there, but Fontana was full of American Navy,” he added.
Yahir added that he has witnessed horrific scenes of Iranian drones and missiles reportedly striking not only military targets but also civilian areas, triggering powerful explosions and sending massive plumes of smoke billowing into the air.
“We saw right in front of our faces, the drone hitting it,” Yahir said, describing the moment he witnessed a building being struck. “I remember everyone around there was crying. They were evacuating all the buildings. People were crying. It felt really devastating.”
A reported Iranian jet flies over Bahrain at night amid escalating regional tensions. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
Impacts have reportedly become a daily occurrence, with some blasts feeling like earthquakes that would violently shake nearby areas.
“The interceptors were hitting the missile and the ground shaking. You’ll feel that every day at this point,” he said. “It’s been literally everyday.”
The chaos in the region has reportedly led to residents receiving numerous daily alerts of incoming missiles on their phones. Each warning forces civilians to take immediate shelter, Yahir said, recalling one instance when he had to shelter in the basement of a well-known mall, The Avenues, for more than an hour.
“At this point, I’m thinking I even get them when I’m sleeping and it wakes me up,” he said. “I feel like over ten times a day we get those alerts.”
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A massive hole is visible in the Bahrain high-rise where Yahir was staying following a strike in Manama. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
The ongoing missile strikes have profoundly affected daily life in Bahrain, turning once-bustling areas into virtual “ghost towns.”
Yahir said his friends have stopped going to work, and that shops are either fully closed or closing far earlier than usual.
He added that the heightened security presence is palpable across the country, with police stationed on nearly every corner and large military vehicles patrolling the streets daily.
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A Bahrain high-rise is seen ablaze in Manama after being struck amid regional conflict. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
Yahir further expressed deep frustration with the local U.S. Embassy, saying there has been little government assistance and describing the overall experience as “terrible.”
When inquiring about evacuation flights, calls to the embassy often triggered an automated message stating that citizens should not expect help from the U.S. government and that the embassies cannot assist with anything, according to Yahir.
“I feel like they need to focus on the embassies around the world because I feel they’re useless to Americans. They don’t help us at all,” Yahir said. “I just want to go home.”
Despite submitting a crisis intake form shared by the State Department, he has received few updates on evacuation plans. The delays and lack of clear communication, he said, have left him feeling stranded and anxious, with no concrete plan for returning home.
Flames and smoke billow from a high-rise building in Manama after an apparent drone strike. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
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Over 40,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East since Feb. 28, the State Department told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. A spokesperson noted that U.S. authorities directly assisted over 27,000 of those Americans abroad by offering travel assistance and other security guidance.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the Department of State has completed over two dozen charter flights and has safely evacuated thousands of Americans from the Middle East,” the department said. “The State Department will continue to actively assist any American citizen, who wishes to depart the Middle East, to do so.”
American citizens stranded in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are urged to complete the Crisis Intake Form on the State Department website or call +1-202-501-4444.