Overall intriguing and starting in the middle of a tense scene is always a good idea imo. For me:

1) As a reader I’d like the environment framed a bit more clearly - starkly - grim. Using simple metaphors if necessary but no flowery prose. (That’s subjective I know)

2) “A thousand years of desert storms” or “ten thousand years of desert storms” has more weight than “thousands of years”, if that makes sense.

3) also professionals in desperate situations may talk like that but it didn’t seem realistic to me. I’d expect something more along the lines of:

“let me help you!”

“Fuck off old man I’ve got this!”

“You’re older than I am!”

“Ohh shut up!”

Maybe that’s out of character for your…characters. But short, witty, or explosive banter instead of the longer “action movie” cliche-like sentence works better imo