‘Barely escaped with our lives’: British expat’s horror after Iranian missile exploded next to him leaving son with ‘hole in his neck’

The incident highlights the indiscriminate nature of the violence, with Mason emphasising that the conflict extends far beyond any single community.

His experience comes as tensions have dramatically escalated between Iran and Israel, with missile attacks targeting both Israeli cities and US military installations in the region over recent days.

Mason described the terrifying moment of impact to GB News: "It blew me completely off my feet. It was dark and there was blood everywhere. As I woke up, I was on top of a body I thought was my son."

The 54-year-old recounted how he discovered his son standing with a severe neck injury. "As I cleared away the debris, I looked up and realised my son was stood there with a hole in his neck.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Israel agrees to ceasefire - as Iran launched fresh missile assault just MINUTES before deal began
• POLL OF THE DAY: Is regime change the only solution in Iran? VOTE NOW
• Palestine Action supporters descend on London and clash with police as protest ban imposed

"I went into father mode and took my shirt off, wrapped it around his neck," he said.

His son then alerted him to his own injuries. "He turned to me and said, 'Dad, you're squirting blood everywhere'. I said, 'don't worry about me'. I kept holding the hole on his neck."

Mason, who is Jewish himself, delivered a powerful message about the conflict's broader impact. "Everybody thinks it's just Jewish people, there was also Arabs and Christians here being hurt," he told GB News.

He stressed the multi-faith nature of the casualties: "Everyone protesting about the destruction of Israel, it's Arabs and Christians too, we're fighting the same war."

The Rochdale-born expat emphasised this point repeatedly. "It's not just Jews here getting hurt. I don't think I've heard Hebrew once since being in the hospital. The people here are amazing," he said.

His plea to those abroad was direct: "The people need to understand. I am Jewish myself. They've got to stop this bulls***. It's not just Jews being killed, it's Muslims and Christians too."

When asked about President Trump's ceasefire declaration, Mason expressed strong opposition. "I'm with Netanyahu every single day," he told GB News. "But I don't believe in a ceasefire. If we don't get rid of this regime now, we are going to have another Iraq War. If we don't stop this now, this will carry on and on."

He described the ongoing attacks despite ceasefire talks. "This morning, we had more missiles come in from everywhere. From Iran, Yemen," Mason said.

The British expat suggested Israel's military strength has deterred some adversaries. "Hezbollah will not intervene because they're scared. Israel is a small war but we are very powerful. We have been fighting this war before the Americans got involved and we will keep going," he stated.

The missile attacks Mason experienced were part of a broader escalation that saw Iran launch missiles at Israeli cities on Monday, with loud explosions heard in Jerusalem after the Israeli military warned of incoming barrages.

Iran also targeted Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, in what officials described as Tehran's first direct response to weekend US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Qatar's air defences successfully intercepted the missiles, with no casualties reported.

Following these exchanges, President Trump announced on Truth Social that Israel and Iran had agreed to a "Complete and Total CEASEFIRE" for 12 hours, after which "the War will be considered, ENDED!" The ceasefire came into effect early Tuesday morning, with Trump calling on both parties to fully adhere to the agreement.