What began as a mission to rescue one stranded South Carolina family from the war-torn Middle East quickly became a desperate race to evacuate hundreds of Americans.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) traveled to the Middle East and joined a private rescue operation to help evacuate Americans stranded amid the escalating war involving Iran, according to reports and statements from the congresswoman.
Mace said she initially flew to Israel after learning that a South Carolina family was trapped in the conflict zone, where missile and drone attacks had been reported.
“When your people are stranded in a war zone getting hit with missiles and rockets, the only answer worthy of the office … is to get them out,” Mace said in a statement about the trip.
Mission expanded beyond one family
What began as an effort to help a single family quickly turned into a larger evacuation mission. After arriving in the region, Mace partnered with Grey Bull Rescue, a veteran-led nonprofit that conducts emergency extractions in high-risk areas.
Working with the group and coordinating with U.S. diplomatic officials, the operation ultimately evacuated 155 Americans from Israel, including 11 infants and dozens of women and children, according to the organization.
Grey Bull Rescue said the evacuees had been sheltering for weeks from missile attacks as fighting intensified across the region.
Role of nonprofit rescue teams
Grey Bull Rescue is staffed largely by former U.S. special operations and intelligence personnel and specializes in evacuating civilians from dangerous environments.
The organization described the effort involving Mace as its 808th rescue mission, noting that it has extracted thousands of people from conflict zones over the years.
The group said it had already helped rescue hundreds of Americans during the current Middle East conflict.
Coordination with U.S. officials
According to the nonprofit, the evacuation effort was coordinated with the U.S. State Department and embassy personnel in Jerusalem and Amman to ensure Americans could safely leave the region.
U.S. officials say tens of thousands of Americans have been evacuated from the broader Middle East since the conflict erupted.
Mace describes witnessing conflict firsthand
Mace said traveling to the region gave her a direct view of the dangers civilians were facing as the war expanded.
“Seeing this conflict firsthand reminds you of what is at stake when the world becomes dangerous,” she said after the evacuation effort.
She added that she was grateful the South Carolina family she initially traveled to assist was able to return home safely.
Political and security context
The rescue mission unfolded as the United States and its allies expanded military operations against Iran, triggering missile and drone strikes across the region and raising fears of a wider war.
The State Department has organized dozens of charter flights and other evacuation options for Americans attempting to leave the Middle East during the crisis.
Mace’s trip was unusual for a sitting member of Congress, but the congresswoman said she believed helping Americans trapped in a war zone was part of her responsibility to constituents.
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I doubt Mace did much of anything except getting in the way.