“When Saturday morning occurred and the first missiles were fired, our teams were immediately activated.”

As governments and private organizations worked to move people out of the Middle East amid ongoing missile and drone attacks, Global Guardian Deputy Vice President of Operations Colin O’Brien joined NewsNation to discuss how evacuation operations are unfolding across the region.

O’Brien explained that Global Guardian teams began moving clients across land borders into safer locations, noting that restricted airspace and shifting visa requirements continue to complicate evacuation routes.

MIDDLE EAST CRUISE NIGHTMARE DEEPENS AS IRAN AIRSTRIKES LEAVE PASSENGERS STRANDED

“Right now, the biggest danger is direct fire or debris from Iranian missiles and drones. Iran has targeted the airports and prominent hotels.”

COMPANIES RACE TO REASSURE AND RELOCATE EMPLOYEES CAUGHT IN MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT

“Do not bunker in place. There are options. This could go a lot longer than we think.” 

As multinational companies scrambled to protect employees amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported on Global Guardian’s large-scale evacuation and crisis response operations.

As of Sunday afternoon, Global Guardian had conducted 21 evacuation missions moving more than 700 people by ground and air from Israel and the Gulf region, underscoring the importance of proactive contingency planning in dynamic threat environments.

STATE DEPARTMENT LIFTS SHELTER-IN-PLACE FOR AMERICAN TOURISTS IN MEXICO — BUT SECURITY EXPERTS WARN SPRING BREAKERS TO STAY ALERT

"Whenever a top figure in a criminal organization in Mexico is killed or captured, the organization almost never disintegrates. But what does happen is we see a violent restructuring of the top level of figures within that cartel. "

Amid questions about whether cartel-related unrest in Mexico will spread or stabilize, WUSA9 sought analysis from Global Guardian Senior Intelligence Analyst Tomás Michael Carvallo on the risks still unfolding.

Carvallo warned that the cartel’s lack of a clear successor makes a violent internal power struggle likely in the weeks ahead, with restructuring often playing out through armed confrontations across cartel-controlled territory. While emphasizing that tourists are not the intended targets, he urged travelers to closely monitor local developments and State Department alerts, noting how quickly conditions can shift from calm to crisis—and back again.

'THEY'RE FREAKING OUT.' SHOULD TRAVELERS CANCEL THEIR CANCUN TRIPS?

“Because it's so tourist-heavy, the organized crimes tend to leave it alone; they don’t want to poke the bear. But folks are going to have to reconsider the totality of the security landscape in those places.”

As questions mounted about travel to Cancun after cartel violence erupted in Puerto Vallarta, USA TODAY incorporated Global Guardian’s perspective on how travelers should evaluate risk in Mexico’s most visited destination.

Global Guardian's Director of Intelligence Michael Ballard noted that while violence in core tourist zones remains relatively rare, high-profile enforcement actions can shift security dynamics and warrant reassessment. He emphasized that travelers should look beyond headlines, review State Department advisories and consider the broader security landscape when making near-term decisions.