Project Dynamo rushes to evacuate Americans from Israel amidst conflict

Americans evacuated from Israel amidst Iran conflict

Project Dynamo, a nonprofit specializing in high-risk rescue missions, is actively evacuating American citizens and others from Israel amidst the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The violent conflict between Israel and Iran has led to an urgent need for the evacuation of American citizens and others trapped in the region.

Rescue missions from Israel

What they're saying:

Mario Duarte is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit, Project Dynamo.

The U.S.-based organization conducts high-risk rescue missions where traditional options are unavailable.

"There is a lot of people right now trying to find their way, right? And there are different options," said Duarte.

Duarte says, so far this week, Project Dynamo has evacuated 47 American citizens from Israel.

30 of them were American veterans who were attending a retreat in Jerusalem with the group Heroes to Heroes.

The Americans were put on a charter bus and safely crossed into Jordan.

From there they will fly back home.

Other rescue missions

Dig deeper:

"We all have served in the armed forces or in the intelligence service or as first responders and police officers. So we know what it is to help our fellow Americans," said Duarte.

Duarte says others are being extracted from Israel via boat to Cyprus, and it's not just Americans in need of help.

"We have had requests from people from Italy, from France, from Holland, from South Korea, from Japan, from Taiwan, and we're going to help everyone as much as we can, but our priority is always our fellow American citizens," said Duarte.

Early this morning, a plane landed in Bulgaria, carrying dozens of people who were trapped in the Middle East to safety.

"A total of 148 people were safely evacuated; 89 Bulgarian citizens and 59 foreign nationals," said Georg Georgiev, Bulgaria's minister of foreign affairs.

Duarte says his team will remain in the region for as long as they're needed.

"Definitely, it changes you inside when you see these people, feeling like they are actually turning the responsibility of their security and their lives into your hands."

What's next:

Duarte tells me he has 14 people currently in the region assisting with the evacuations. The organization already has dozens more lined up. 

He's not sure if or when the need will slow down.