Demanyé 
U.S. students were stuck in Jerusalem when the U.S. war with Iran broke out/Photo by Maor Winetrob
United States students and faculty safely return home after disruptions caused by escalating Middle Eastern conflict.
On March 7, Carson-Newman University students and faculty safely returned to Tennessee after being stranded in Jerusalem due to regional flight cancellations. A group of students and faculty from Texas’s Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Tennessee’s Carson-Newman University struggled to get back to the U.S. on March 2.
The United States and Israeli strikes on Iran led to airspace shutdowns this month. Thousands of flights were canceled across the region as Iran hit multiple airports in Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
The joint U.S and military strikes resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed by the Iranian state media and government officials, causing Iran to retaliate against the U.S. and Israel and, escalating the situation even more.
Five students, two faculty members, and two chaperones of Carson-Newman University were in Israel as part of the University’s archaeology program when officials released travel alerts. The group prepared to leave the county, but their plans were soon disrupted as the conflict escalated, prompting regional flight cancellations.
Travel for SMU students and faculty has also been disrupted as the conflict continues to escalate. As a result of these security concerns in the region, SMU formally decided to cancel its Dubai program hours after Iran launched counterattacks on countries around the Middle East, including Dubai, and local authorities issued a shelter-in-place guidance restricting flights.
Many Americans disapprove of the strikes President Donald Trump ordered against Iran, lacking trust in Trump to make the right decisions about the U.S. air force, sparking concern among many Americans.
The conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran started three days before the flight cancellations, when the U.S. launched military strikes against Iranian nuclear, military, and leadership targets in late February, followed by attacks from Israel.
Plans to bring students and faculty members back to the U.S. remain in place, despite ongoing changes to flight schedules. The team of Carson-Newman students and faculty traveled to Egypt before flying back to Tennessee.
“The Carson-Newman team of students and faculty has departed Jerusalem and is now in Egypt. Plans continue to be fluid as to their specific arrangements,” a statement from the university said.
Despite the uncertainty of the situation, spirits remained high as they waited to return home. University officials and loved ones expressed hope for the safe return of the students, faculty, and chaperones. Students, faculty, and chaperones were eventually reunited with their loved ones, bringing relief and joy after an unsettling wait.
“We are thrilled to have this incredible group back home in East Tennessee,” Dr. Charles Fowler, president of Carson-Newman, said in a statement. “These students exhibited an unbelievable level of maturity. We are grateful, as well, for the leadership that helped navigate, via bus, van and five airports, getting them home safely. So many people, both friends of Carson-Newman and some who had never heard of our school, had a hand in assisting in their return. We are also grateful for the many prayers and support we have received in the last several days.”
Alex Tisdale 
Dalila Benmakhlouf 
