NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville homebuilder who traveled to Dubai to celebrate his birthday is now stranded thousands of miles from home as the war in Iran intensifies, airspace closes across the region and the U.S. State Department urges all Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to leave immediately due to serious safety risks.
Abram Mitchell, 28, described missiles streaking through the night sky, explosions shaking the walls of his hotel and a city that once buzzed with life now feeling still and uneasy.
"Something is going over our heads right now. I don't know if you can hear that, but I'm just like, what's about to happen next?" Mitchell said.
What was supposed to be a week-long trip has become an indefinite stay.
"The airspace is closed down. So, there's literally no way out right now. Everything's shut down," Mitchell said.
Mitchell says he feels safe in Dubai but that the missiles flying overhead have been relentless.
"There's definitely been some strikes and probably been like 700 missiles… The UAE's air defense has done a very good job of intercepting 95% of them, but a few of them have hit," Mitchell said.
One interception landed close enough that he could feel it.
"One of them dropped down right across the street from where I was staying. Had a big fire there," Mitchell said.
The constant threat has taken a toll.
"Very anxious, you know, every loud noise, you know, makes your heart drop immediately. It's just something that we haven't experienced in America," Mitchell said.
Flight cancellations now stretch well beyond the Middle East.
"It's not just Americans, though. I mean, there are flights canceled to Egypt, to London, you know, because I looked, tried to get to London, you know, fly to JFK. So, there are a lot of people who are trapped, I would say, in Dubai," Mitchell said.
Even the U.S. consulate has not been spared — hit by a drone. When Mitchell called the Embassy looking for help, he said he was turned away.
"I called the number, and they said, you know, they can't help us right now," Mitchell said.
Despite the fear and uncertainty, Mitchell expressed sympathy for those who have suffered the most.
"My condolences to the people, the casualties that have been suffered, but it can be worse. It could definitely be a lot worse," Mitchell said.
The State Department said Tuesday that more than 9,000 Americans have returned to the U.S. from the Middle East over the past several days, including more than 300 from Israel. Mitchell says that, as anxious as he is to go home, he wants to do so when it is safe.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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