Ron DeSantis delivered one massive rescue mission that has Americans praising Florida’s leadership

Ron DeSantis stepped up when Americans needed help most.

The Florida governor launched an unprecedented operation to bring people home.

And Ron DeSantis delivered one massive rescue mission that has Americans praising Florida’s leadership.

Florida leads complex evacuation from war zone

Governor Ron DeSantis proved once again that Florida doesn’t hesitate to act when Americans are in danger overseas.

Early Friday morning, DeSantis personally greeted over 160 Americans at Tampa International Airport after they were evacuated from Israel amid escalating attacks from Iran.

“This is probably the most challenging and logistically difficult mission that the Florida Department of Emergency Management has done, certainly in my time,” DeSantis said at a 5:30 a.m. press conference.

The ongoing rescue operation is working to bring home around 1,500 Americans who were stranded in Israel when Ben Gurion International Airport shut down due to Iranian missile attacks.

Florida has chartered multiple flights and organized a cruise ship mission to get Americans to safety.

State officials have flown in more than 300 people on chartered flights, while rescuing more than 1,110 people on a passenger ferry.

Many of the evacuees were young Jewish Americans participating in Birthright Israel trips who suddenly found themselves in a war zone.

Americans caught in Iranian missile attacks

Josh Hammer, a Newsweek editor and Broward County resident, was one of the people rescued by Florida’s operation.

Hammer had traveled to Israel with his family, including his six-month-old baby, to attend a family wedding about a week and a half ago.

“It kind of all went down the drain,” Hammer explained. “You’re essentially living on pins and needles for the sirens to go off, and then you have 90 seconds to two minutes to basically take, in our case, our six-month-old baby, just run to the bomb shelter.”

“We’re dealing here with Iranian ballistic missiles. These are no joke,” he added.

Hammer learned about the rescue mission after seeing Senator Jay Collins write about Florida’s operations on social media and they began communicating.

The U.S. Department of State upgraded its travel warning Monday to the highest level, telling Americans not to go to Israel because of the Israel-Iran attacks.

DeSantis described students, Israel Birthright participants and others stuck in “no man’s land” when the airport shut down.

Florida’s 24/7 rescue operation continues

Kevin Guthrie, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the operation will continue around the clock.

“This operation will continue 24/7 with the safety and well-being of Americans and Floridians as our top priority,” Guthrie stated.

Florida worked with the Department of Transportation and private partners, including Grey Bull Rescue, to coordinate the complex mission.

“Central to that is obviously Grey Bull Rescue that we have partnered with,” Guthrie added, though he declined to discuss specific logistics of the rescue operations for security reasons.

DeSantis made it clear that Florida won’t abandon Americans in crisis, regardless of which state they’re from.

“We’re not going to turn somebody away as a fellow American,” DeSantis said. “I bet you, everyone on this plane who is not a Florida resident spends time in Florida. I can guarantee you that.”

The Florida governor noted his state’s willingness to lead during international crises.

“The reality is there’s going to be more folks that are going to be rescued. This is an ongoing effort,” DeSantis said, adding he believes other states might want to “get in the game at this point.”

He emphasized Florida’s track record of taking action when others hesitate.

“The state of Florida is proud that it doesn’t shy away from it and pass the buck. We step up, and we lead, and we get the job done,” DeSantis declared.

Evacuees grateful for Florida’s swift response

The Americans rescued by Florida’s mission expressed deep appreciation for the state’s decisive action.

“This is what leadership looks like,” said one returnee. “Florida didn’t wait — they acted.”

One woman from Bradenton described the surreal experience: “It’s so surreal, we were evacuated from a war zone.”

Hammer expressed his gratitude for DeSantis’s commitment to helping Americans and supporting Israel.

“It’s absolutely incredible that the state of Florida leads time, time and time again on these operations there. I have no idea why other states don’t seem to kind of jump all in as well,” Hammer said. “So God bless this amazing state.”

Hammer also praised DeSantis as “the great friend to the Jewish people in the Jewish state of Israel.”

Aventura City Commissioner Paul Kruss, who was among the Floridians waiting for rescue, described the frightening situation from Cyprus where evacuees were gathering.

“This group of 300 of us from Florida that are gonna be heading to Tampa hopefully soon,” Kruss told NBC6 via Zoom from the airport in Larnaca, Cyprus.

Kruss and his family were in Israel on a family trip when Iranian missiles started exploding in Tel Aviv and other cities.

“It was a little scary but honestly we felt fine because the hotels all have what’s called memads, the safe rooms where we all went in,” Kruss said.

Florida’s track record of international rescues

This isn’t the first time Florida has conducted rescue missions to Israel under DeSantis’ leadership.

The state organized similar operations in 2023 during the Israel-Hamas war, according to multiple sources.

DeSantis acknowledged the unique challenges this mission presented compared to previous rescue operations.

“The most logistically challenging rescues we have done. We’ve done them in Haiti, we’ve done them in Israel, Hamas was obviously bad, but when you have the Iranian mullahs firing all these barrages of missiles,” DeSantis explained.

The operation involved coordination with colleges and universities to bring home students, working with nonprofits like Grey Bull Rescue and Project Dynamo, and even having State Senator Jay Collins travel to the region to assist.

Americans can rely on Florida’s leadership

The rescue operation demonstrates Florida’s commitment to helping Americans in crisis situations around the world.

Florida officials are encouraging other stranded Americans to submit emergency evacuation forms to Grey Bull Rescue to join upcoming flights.

DeSantis is also coordinating with colleges and universities to bring home any students who may be stuck in Israel.

“I don’t know when Ben Gurion Airport is going to open again. It may not open for some time,” DeSantis said, explaining why the rescue operations remain crucial.

The mission continues as more Americans remain in need of assistance getting home safely from the war zone.

Americans stranded overseas now have a clear example of state-level leadership stepping up during international crises when swift action is needed most.