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South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has revealed that the school is working to try and help three ex-players return home from Israel amid retaliatory Iranian airstrikes.
The trio of former Gamecocks – Tiffany Mitchell, Destiny Littleton and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – as well as a host of other former WNBA players are playing basketball in Israel during the American league’s offseason.
But financial opportunity turned to disaster on Saturday when Israel, along with the United States, launched a major attack on Iran, sparking deadly counterstrikes.
‘Please pray for our @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 who are in a war zone in Israel,’ Staley said on X. ‘We are working a plan to get home. Let us pray for our loved ones to return home safely asap! Thank you in advance.’
On Sunday morning, she followed up with a new message which read: ‘Thank you everyone for praying for our @GamecockWBB players and family members. Please keep them covered in prayer until they are home! Appreciate it!’
Mitchell played last season in Seattle, while Harrigan was on the Phoenix Mercury. Other players in the Israeli league with WNBA ties include Victoria Vivians, Christyn Williams, Shyanne Sellers, Arella Guirantes and Evina Westbrook.
Destiny Littleton documented her desperate search for safety in Jerusalem during the strikes
Officials search through the rubble after a missile strike in Bet Shemesh, close to Jerusalem
‘It’s 12:48 am and I’m going to attempt to get some sleep,’ Littleton tweeted. ‘Prayers for safety for everyone impacted.’
On Sunday morning, US-Israeli strikes on Iran continued for a second day after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raised the risk of regional instability.
There were explosions in Tehran on Sunday as Israel said it was taking its attacks to the ‘heart’ of Iran’s capital.
Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israel and at US military installations around the Gulf, and also at the Saudi capital and the global business hub of Dubai.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its ‘most intense offensive operation’ ever, targeting Israel and US bases.
Iran also selected a 66-year-old cleric to join the three-member leadership council that will govern the country until a new supreme leader is selected.
Tiffany Mitchell, pictured during her time with the Seattle Storm in September, is also there
Iran has fired missiles at Israel in retaliation for being targeted in an attack on Saturday
On Saturday, Littleton had shared video of her frantically trying to find safety in Israel with warning sirens blasting in the background.
‘I don’t know if you guys can hear that, a siren is going off right now,’ she said in the video. ‘This is the second siren of the day. I’m about to head to the shelter now… it feels very deserted. I’m about to head into the shelter now, as we speak.’
Littleton then films her view of the city before spotting what appeared to be a missile in the sky above her.
‘Do you guys see that? What is that? There’s been stuff flying in the air but I can’t see it because of the clouds. Look at those things over there,’ she said. ‘I think those might have been… oh my goodness.’
In the next video, Littleton filmed herself looking for a blue door which would take her into her nearest safe room for shelter.
‘I’m currently walking to the safe room, definitely heard three or four b-o-m-b noises. Trying to stay calm,’ she said.
Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in an attack on his Tehran compound
The video then resumes with more sirens going off and Littleton struggling to work out where she should go for safety.
‘There go the sirens again. I’m trying to find this safe room but I can’t find it,’ she says, sounding panicked. ‘I don’t think this is the right way, I don’t see a blue gate at all. The sirens are just getting louder and louder.’
Eventually, Littleton found the place she needed to be but as she filmed herself walking down the steps, a loud explosion is heard.
‘Oh s***,’ she says. ‘Oh s***. Where is it? Did you hear that? Oh f*** me.’
