Metro Atlanta Pastor Bryant Wright Shelters in Jerusalem During Iran’s Retaliation, Then Exits Israel Overland

Atlanta-area faith leader describes repeated shelter alerts as regional conflict disrupts travel and closes airspace

A metro Atlanta pastor traveling in Israel during a major regional escalation described spending hours in protected shelters as sirens warned of incoming attacks, before he and his group left the country by land and entered Egypt.

Pastor Bryant Wright, the former senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta and founder of Right From the Heart Ministries, was in Israel with his wife and a group of U.S. pastors and spouses when Iran launched retaliatory strikes following joint U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran. The developments triggered widespread security alerts across Israel and contributed to severe disruptions in civilian travel.

Repeated sheltering during sirens and alerts

Wright said the group repeatedly moved to shelter after warning sirens began sounding on Saturday. He described taking cover 13 times over a period of more than 30 hours. The longest single stay in a shelter lasted about three hours, with most shelter periods lasting roughly 30 to 40 minutes.

Video shared by the group from inside a shelter showed congregational singing and prayer, reflecting how they spent portions of the time while waiting for clearance to leave protected areas.

“We had to go down to the bomb shelter 13 times over about 30 plus hours,” Wright said, describing repeated interruptions as warnings continued.

Overland route into Egypt amid airspace disruption

With civilian aviation heavily constrained, Wright and the group moved south through Israel and crossed into Egypt, describing their departure as an effort to move out of the immediate risk area. Wright said they crossed the border early in the morning and felt relief after reaching Egypt.

Israeli guidance in such periods typically directs residents and visitors to remain close to protected spaces after early alerts and to enter shelters immediately when sirens sound, waiting for official “all clear” messages before leaving.

Wright’s longtime ties to Israel and Georgia

Wright, a prominent Southern Baptist figure, led Johnson Ferry Baptist Church from its founding era through decades of growth and later retired from the senior pastor role. He has continued public ministry through Right From the Heart, and he has held national leadership roles within the Southern Baptist community.

He described the current visit as his 22nd trip to Israel and said he had previously traveled there in the period following the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.

What the episode shows about the current security environment

• Travel corridors can shift quickly when airspace is restricted, leading groups to rely on overland border crossings.
• Civil defense warning systems can require repeated, extended sheltering for residents and visitors during sustained threats.
• Americans abroad may need to make rapid, self-directed decisions on routes and timing when conditions change.

The situation remains fluid as military operations and retaliatory strikes continue to affect security conditions across the region, including access to transportation and the advisability of movement within or out of Israel.