3 Chicago-area women stuck in Dubai amid conflict in Iran

A group of Chicago-area women is stuck in Dubai as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies. 

As they try to make their way back home, they and travelers alike feel that the State Department has failed them—saying they offered no real help beyond telling citizens to leave, without providing the means to do so.

We've just learned the state department says it's preparing military and charter flights for Americans, but there is no word right now on a timeline for when those will be available.

Natalie Potesta from Lindenhurst, Leslie Allenspach from Schaumburg, and Dana Mays from Palatine said they've regularly heard sounds of missiles from outside their Dubai hotel room. The sounds of booms accompanied by alerts on their phones.

"We've heard booms like that, things that are shaking, you know, that we can feel, and, as well as, like, sirens that we're hearing, that kind of stuff," Allenspach said.

The trio wasn't even supposed to be in the Middle East. They were en route to a retreat in Bali when, during their nine-hour layover in Abu Dhabi, they learned of the situation with Iran, and their connecting flight was canceled.

"The more that people can know about the situation and spread the word, hopefully, you know, that puts more and more pressure, because the U.S. State Department has done nothing for us," Mays said.

This, despite U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio on X telling Americans in the Middle East they can reach the Department of State 24 hours a day.

The UAE is on the list of countries that the State Department has urged Americans to leave now, "using available commercial transportation."

A retired general they met in the airport lounge told them to get to Dubai, where they've been trying to book flights out ever since.

"We actually did, just to be safe, got a Singapore flight, and then we also have a Prague flight on Friday," Potesta said.

Back home in Palatine, Dana's husband, Chris, said he's so proud of the women for how hard they've worked to get out.

"But, you know, leaving American citizens when you knew something was gonna happen, and they didn't have any clue what was going to go on, is outrageous to me," he said.

CBS News Chicago has been in touch with Sen. Dick Durbin's office about their situation. A spokesperson also said, "Senator Durbin takes seriously his commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad and stands ready to provide whatever assistance is possible."