AMNA NAWAZ: When the U.S.

ignited# a war with Iran last weekend,## the State Department advised Americans# to depart now from several countries## in the region.

But airspace closures left# thousands of Americans suddenly stranded.

Over the last five days, nearly 24,000 U.S.# citizens have safely returned to the United States## from the Middle East.

This week, we spoke with# some of the Americans who were stranded overseas.

EMAAN ABBASS, American Citizen: My name# is Emaan Abbass.

I'm originally Egyptian,## but I was born and raised in# California.

The last 9.5 years,## I have lived here in Dubai.

There's not really# been an easy way out for residents like us.

COLLEEN WEST, American Citizen: My name# is Colleen West, and I'm from Lehi,## Utah.

My husband and I were in Jerusalem,## and we were ready to go home, and the war# broke out.

We got back to Salt Lake yesterday.

MATT GENTILE, American Citizen: My name# is Matt Gentile.

I'm from Rochester,## New York, and I was in the Kurdistan# region in Iraq when the war started.

I just got back like two hours ago.

JOHN ALMEIDA, American Citizen: My name# is John Almeida.

I'm here with my wife,## Susanna (ph) Almeida.

We're still in# Dubai.

We got here about 10 days ago.

We were one day away from catching a flight back,# and the days prior to that, this was probably the## most amazing vacation we have ever had.

Then,# the next thing you know, the war breaks out.

EMAAN ABBASS: And there were missiles that# were being intercepted right overhead,## like from my bedroom window, and# it was like a cloud of smoke.

JOHN ALMEIDA: The 28th was probably the scariest# day I think we have all ever had in our lives.

The## missile that fell near the Fairmont Hotel was less# than a kilometer away from where we were staying.## It was surreal to be standing on the beach and# hearing these noises and the ground shaking.

COLLEEN WEST: Our hotel had a bomb# shelter, so we actually went down## there, and you would either hear a# missile go by or see missiles go by,## and then you would hear the explosion.# And that would happen every couple hours.

MATT GENTILE: I was backpacking around,# and I was having an incredible time.## My friends that were in Kurdistan notified# me of the attacks before the government did,## and then I kind of realized I needed to evacuate,# because it was probably only going to get worse.## But all of the airports in the region closed,# because the missiles were flying everywhere.

So we created a plan for me# to get to Turkey, and then,## from Turkey, I would figure out how to get home.

COLLEEN WEST: We just spent hours trying# to figure out, OK, the airport's closed,## how do we get out?

And it took us two days,# didn't sleep.

You would sleep maybe for an hour,## but not too long because missiles were going# all night long, and the sirens in the city,## so you were awake and a little bit traumatized.

EMAAN ABBASS: Every time we'd hear a loud# boom or maybe some jets flying overhead,## I would freeze.

I'd get emotional.

JOHN ALMEIDA: Because we have dual# citizenship, we have contacted the## authorities on both sides, our American# passports and our Portuguese passports.

The American Embassy here has been utterly# useless, utterly.

We called on the day of the## attacks, which was a Saturday.

We called on the# Sunday.

We called and called and e-mailed.

I mean,## you launch an attack and you don't man these# stations with support for your citizens?

Conversely, the Portuguese Embassy, a# representative answered immediately.

EMAAN ABBASS: They had posted a phone number# for us to contact for support in terms of## helping us evacuate.

We called and were on# hold for lengthy periods of time.

Finally,## we get through to someone.

They tell us# this isn't the right number.

You need## to call the consulate.

And# it's basically a recording.

VOICE: Please do not rely on the U.S.

government# for assisted departure or evacuation at this time.

EMAAN ABBASS: We cannot help you, basically.# There is no concern for our lives.

MATT GENTILE: I'm still in very much# contact with all my friends there,## and they keep just sending me more# videos of the missiles and bombs,## and it's happening across different cities now# too.

So I'm just kind of worried about them.

COLLEEN WEST: This was a life-changing event for## me and my husband and the people# that we were with.

The whole time,## I would think I am so grateful to live in# America and to have the freedoms that we have.

EMAAN ABBASS: We didn't ask to be a part of# this.

The neighboring countries did not ask## to be a part of this.

And the United# States and the government decided to## take action very recklessly.

And it's# just unfortunate that you have U.S.## citizens who pay their tax dollars# to support these wars essentially,## and you can't even give them the support to# get to a place where they might feel safe.

AMNA NAWAZ: And a note: John Almeida,# who was featured in that story,## was able to get on a flight out of Dubai# after we spoke and arrived safely back home,## along with his wife, early this morning.