Middle East War: Northern Ireland man dives for cover after Iranian missile explodes in Jerusalem
A Portadown man dove into the doorway of a tourist information point in Jerusalem after feeling the shockwave of an Iranian missile exploding overhead.
Mark Jameson, got safely home on Thursday after a two week delay, but says he is "relieved but also "sort of sad" to have finished his time in Israel during the Middle East War.
He was in Tel Aviv to run a charity marathon and then do several days of sightseeing, when the conflict between Israel, the US and Iran erupted.
He was meant to leave on 3 March but instead, a six day trip became a three week drama during which he was a front line witness to war.
For the last part of his trip he stayed in Jerusalem right besides King David's tower in the Old City.
This was his last and perhaps closest encounter with a missile.
"I was on a wee self guided tour around the Mount of Olives and then down to the Absalom's Tomb when the alert on my phone went off.
"The next thing I looked up and saw a smoke trail going up in the air - an Israeli interceptor rocket. It was so close you actually feel the shock waves on the ground when it exploded."
He did feel alarmed.
"There was maybe about four or five other people walking the streets, and they just bolted for cover. So there was a tourist information place beside the Tomb of Absalom and I dove into the doorway - just in case something fell on me."
His travel agent in NI had been working hard and finding him seats to fly home from Israel but they kept being removed at the last minute.
The last he heard he had secured a flight to leave in April, but said he could not sustain that in terms of his employment – the ‘Morning Buzz’ mobile coffee business.
"So I had to take the route that didn't want to take - the land route into Egypt."
"I had been warned about people being ripped off in Egypt, extortionate taxi fare rates and being stalled there for days."
He crossed the border from Eilant in Israel to Tabat in Egypt.
It costs £30 to leave Israel and 345 to enter Egypt, he said.
After this he had to run a gauntlet of pickpockets, he said.
Then he stayed a night near Sharm El Sheikh International Airport airport before leaving the next day.
He left Egypt at 3am on Thursday and then flew to Istanbul and then to Dublin – a 14 hour trip costing about £600.
Speaking after arriving back in NI he said: "I feel relieved but I feel sort of sad too. I actually enjoyed my experience in between all the chaos. It is a lovely country and lovely people, and they are so resilient.
"There's an actual war going on around them, and they're just getting on with their lives with a bit of humour. It is just the way we were during the Troubles."
His highlight was seeing most of the historical sites he had hoped to - thanks to Galli - a former Israeli tank commander-turned-tour guide.
His lowlight was missing his family and their worrying about him - even though he insists he was safe.