Throughout Israel, city streets were deserted on Saturday as residents sought refuge in shelters while the echoes of Iranian missiles being intercepted resonated above.
This marked the second instance in less than a year that Israelis were forced into this somber wartime routine, having previously fled Iranian missile attacks during a 12-day conflict between the two adversaries last June.
The United States and Israel initiated a series of strikes on military targets in Iran on Saturday, triggering swift Iranian retaliation directed towards Israel.
In Tel Aviv’s bustling commercial district, Orit Baisa, aged 42, hurried to an underground parking lot upon hearing the air raid sirens signaling an imminent missile barrage.
“We lack a proper shelter or secure room. The stairwell is not adequate. This parking lot is the safest option available,” he remarked.
Speaking to AFP, he added, “If this conflict prolongs, we will make do as before, bringing tents, mattresses, and necessary supplies to live here, just like last time.”
Andrea Siposova, who also sought refuge in the same parking lot, shared that she had prepared for such a scenario in case of war.
“We had readied our emergency backpacks in anticipation of this situation. Upon receiving the alert of a missile attack, we made our way to the shelter,” said Siposova, a 31-year-old originally from Slovakia now residing in Tel Aviv.
Roi Elba, accompanied by his dog Gaia, sought shelter in the parking lot to wait out the missile assault.
“This is the safest spot during uncertain times. Most buildings and apartments in central Tel Aviv lack a secure room or shelter,” he commented.
Arms and Infants
Inside the shelter, some individuals brought strollers, while reservists carried their firearms, and a few gathered for prayers in a small group.
Several owners brought their dogs, which huddled with them for safety.
Outside the parking lot, the sky bore marks from Israel’s air defense system intercepting Iranian missiles before they could hit the ground, as reported by an AFP journalist.
Further up the coast in Israel, a projectile caused a significant water explosion in Haifa Bay, dispersing water and smoke high above a nearby commercial ship, according to an AFP photojournalist.
After a projectile hit a building in the nearby city of Tirat Carmel, residents were evacuated, the same journalist confirmed.
Israel’s emergency response agency, Magen David Adom, instructed its ambulances to limit siren use to prevent confusion with air raid alarms, as stated in a release.
By mid-Saturday afternoon, only one minor injury linked to the missile attacks was reported, a 50-year-old man injured by an explosion in northern Israel.
All national agencies activated wartime protocols, with the education ministry canceling classes and the aviation authority halting all incoming and outgoing flights.
In Jerusalem, the streets were largely deserted, as residents remained indoors or near shelters.
Explosions intermittently disrupted the quiet streets, with barrages occurring one after the other, occasionally shaking windows as missiles detonated above.
‘Trapped’
In the nearby West Bank city of Ramallah, about 15 kilometers north of Jerusalem, Palestinians continued with their daily activities, with markets bustling and conversations occasionally punctuated by distant explosions.
“Wars have been ongoing since the time of our ancestors. We are not overly concerned. Life must proceed as normal,” remarked Ghazala Arar, a resident of the nearby Jalazone camp, to AFP.
For many, the primary inconvenience was the Israeli military’s closure of numerous checkpoints that restrict movement in the Palestinian territory, locking some individuals out of their homes.
“I was heading to Jenin, but all checkpoints are sealed. The attack happened suddenly – we are stranded here,” expressed Rajwa Atatra, who had traveled from Jenin to visit her brother in Ramallah, to AFP.
