A rescue organization led by veterans is intensifying its efforts to evacuate United States citizens and allies from Israel, as the region remains fraught with tension after weeks of airstrikes between Israel and Iran.
Project DYNAMO, a nonprofit organization established by veterans and intelligence experts, focuses on rescuing Americans and allies from high-risk areas and disaster zones.
“We address the gap that exists due to the vastness of government bureaucracy,” said Mario Duarte, president and CEO of Project DYNAMO, to Fox News Digital. “With the extent of global coverage and millions of Americans abroad at any time, there’s always a need for assistance to help our fellow Americans.”
A map shows the U.S. strikes on Iran. (Fox News)
Between 300 and 500 people per day are estimated to require evacuation assistance from Israel, with the U.S. government weighing the options of using flights or ships to extract Americans from the region.
“I think that risk to Americans has increased significantly,” Duarte said. “Not because of the current actions of the [Trump] administration. But because in the past several years, the U.S. government – especially under the Biden administration – was weakened by its own position in foreign policy, which allowed other actors to dictate certain situations.”
To date, Project DYNAMO has evacuated 228 Americans and allies from Israel, including 30 veterans visiting the country for a retreat and several young schoolchildren, since Israel began striking Iran on June 13.
However, Duarte insists there are thousands more U.S. citizens waiting to be extracted from the region, with the organization having a backlog of requests due to funding limitations. Despite the logistical constraints, Duarte is confident that Project DYNAMO possesses the unique capabilities to rescue at-risk individuals from Israel in a safe, efficient manner.
“It’s a lot of things that go into this,” Duarte said. “But that has to be done. It’s an opportunity to show the good American spirit in other parts of the world.”
