Augusta family flees Middle East as U.S. launches Operation Epic Fury

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta couple returned home from Israel and Egypt just as the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury Saturday.

This happened hours before the State Department issued an urgent warning urging Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to “depart now” due to “serious safety risks.”

Diego and Maile Sprague had been staying with a host family in Jerusalem, south of the West Bank. The host family provides self-defense training to women and children living in the West Bank.

“We moved to Jerusalem just south of the West Bank and stayed with a host family that provides self-defense training to women and children that live on the West Bank,” Maile Sprague said. “Sometimes those places aren’t the safest.”

Couple tours Egypt as operation launches

The Spragues left their host family Friday morning to tour Egypt. By Saturday morning, the U.S. and Israel had rolled out Operation Epic Fury.

The couple said their host family was forced to flee their home after two nearby Arab-developed areas were attacked.

“We got word he and his wife had to leave their home because where they live there are two Arab developed areas… and they were attacked, so he and his wife had to flee their home,” Diego Sprague said.

Maile Sprague said the host family is now sheltering with neighbors.

“They are staying in their bomb shelter because there has been constant red alerts, so they’re sharing their bomb shelter with their neighbors,” she said.

Tourism industry shuts down in Egypt

While in Egypt, the Spragues said they witnessed the country’s tourism industry — its largest — coming to a halt.

“Everything that has to do with the tourism industry was closing down. Tourists were trying to leave, and all the buses were being routed to the border for Israel to pick people up from,” Maile Sprague said.

The couple had planned to return to their host family in Israel but instead made the decision to return home to Augusta. They landed in Atlanta hours before the State Department issued its “depart now” warning Monday.

The Spragues said they are safe. Their host family remains in a bomb shelter.

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