American students and tour groups in Israel waiting to evacuate amid missile strikes from Iran

Wednesday, Israel and Iran continued to exchange missile strikes, some American citizens began to make plans to evacuate Israel – and for many young people on tours or by studying, it was soft.

Some, like the Junior of the University of Michigan, Julia Cohen, had arrived in May with hundreds of other students to participate in Right to birth Program, which provides internships and scholarships in Israel to people of Jewish origin. She dreamed of studying in Israel for years and, after a lot of consideration, her parents decided to support their daughter’s decision in April.

Cohen recently found himself staying in a hotel in southern Israel after nights in Iran and Israel missilesHis mother told CBS News in New York.

“They went back and forth to bomb shelters in Tel Aviv,” said Marnie Cohen, who had reserved for return for her daughter in Barcelona, ​​then in the United States.

On Wednesday, at least 24 people were killed by Iranian missiles who slipped through robust air defenses from Israel, according to Israeli officials. American human rights activists in the Iranian organization, which is based on a network of contacts in the country, said on Tuesday that it had documented at least 452 deaths in Iran since Israel had launched its attacks.

President Trump said On Wednesday, he had not yet decided if the US military would join Israel’s current attacks against Iran. Sources told CBS News that Mr. Trump had approved The attack plans on the country, but a final decision to take the catch had not yet been made.

The United States Embassy in Israel announced on Wednesday that it was working on assemble evacuation flights and cruise ships For American citizens wishing to leave the country, but the State Department said later that it had “no announcement to help private American citizens to leave for the moment”.

After closing Israel’s airspace, the dawn has moved around 300 to 400 students from Tel Aviv, and the parents began to explore alternatives to get their children out of the country, said Marnie Cohen. It is not clear how many students are currently in Israel.

Birthwight Bizs To bring 50,000 young Jewish adults, part of which attend the program in Israel each year. CBS News contacted the right of birth to comment on the way they help American citizens during their currently blocked tours in Israel, but did not receive answers before the publication.

Cohen said that her daughter’s roommate was released by Jordan, taking a car to the capital of Amman and flying from there to the United States. Other students took a boat in Cyprus nearby and await flights there. However, Marnie Cohen said, even if her daughter knew the danger, she didn’t want to leave.

Lauren Field arrived in Israel of Connecticut the day before the start of the conflict – and a few days before the United States raised Recommendations to travelers For Israel at level 4, the highest level – to visit his 20 -year -old son who studies in Tel Aviv. She, her husband, her son and her teenage daughter waited in southern Israel for evacuation.

His family registered in Intelligent travelers’ registration program (step) And was waiting to hear the next stages on the evacuation plans of the United States government. She said that she had not yet heard of the federal government but that she was in contact with local legislators and non -profit organizations.

She said that her son had mixed feelings about the departure of Israel.

Field, who visited Israel once before in 1990, said that even with the uncertainty that everyone was confronted, she and her family felt quite safe.

“We met the most incredible and wonderful people and we felt more connected than ever,” said Field.