High school student Christian Liess and classmates were stranded in Abu Dhabi during a layover en route to a school trip to Thailand after regional missile activity forced them to shelter. Liess said he watched defensive intercepts near the airport and heard explosions while staying at a hotel. Parents used the State Department's STEP enrollment to receive updates, and U.S. officials coordinated the students' evacuation. The group eventually flew home, and Liess urged travelers to check news and advisories before trips.
US High Schoolers Evacuated After Abu Dhabi Layover Turns Risky as Missiles Are Intercepted
An alert issued by the UAE Ministry of Interior warning residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi of a potential Iranian missile strike is displayed on a mobile phone shortly before a missile was intercepted in Dubai on March 5, 2026.(Getty Images)
What began as a routine school journey turned into a frightening ordeal when high school student Christian Liess and his classmates were stranded in Abu Dhabi amid regional missile activity. The group had planned a layover in the United Arab Emirates on their way to a cultural-education trip to Thailand, but rising tensions associated with Operation Epic Fury forced them to shelter and wait while U.S. officials and parents worked to secure their return.
Missile Interceptions and Shelter
Liess described seeing defensive intercepts near the airport. "We saw some missiles intercepted while we were at the airport, and then for the next few days, while we stayed at a hotel, we kept hearing missiles go off. We saw, I think, some of the defense missiles intercept the attacking missiles," he told Jesse Watters on his program.
A man walks away after watching as a black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Coordinated Response
Parents tracking events from home said they followed State Department guidance and used the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive updates. "We got on the State Department website and filled out the STEP form," Liess' father, David, recalled. He and other parents then coordinated and anxiously awaited word that the students had been cleared to fly home. "I'm not a crier, but I wept," he said when they received confirmation that the students were airborne.
What Students Experienced
"It was a little scary, to be honest," Liess said. "You’d see a big streak of light go up in the sky and then a big poof of smoke."
Although the episode was unsettling, Liess said it was also educational: it underscored the importance of checking travel advisories and staying informed before and during international trips.
Context: U.S. officials have been actively assisting citizens in the region amid elevated tensions, and the State Department remains a key resource for Americans abroad. The students were ultimately evacuated and flown back to the United States.
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