Eilat, Karmiel, Ramat Gan, and Beersheba have opened their public shelters in anticipation of possible Iranian ballistic missile attacks over the weekend, according to a security monitoring account.
On Thursday afternoon, the cities of Eilat, Karmiel, Ramat Gan, and Beersheba opened their public shelters, joining a growing wave of Israeli municipalities taking precautionary measures amid fears of Iranian missile strikes over the weekend. The move followed a statement by Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama Hacohen at 12:18 Jerusalem, who said the chance of Iranian fire had increased and that the city had opened all public shelters. By 13:50 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that residents in Karmiel had been instructed to open shelters, and that northern authorities, Be'er Sheva, Dimona, Herzliya, Netivot, and subsequently Tel Aviv and Jerusalem had all opened their public shelters. The Zioneer also noted that the Home Front Command had not issued new directives, and that municipalities were acting on local security assessments.
The wave of shelter openings follows days of heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. On Sunday, The Zioneer reported that Israel raised its national alert level and opened shelters in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Netanya as the IDF prepared for possible Iranian missile fire, with the US pressing Tehran to avoid retaliation. Earlier this week, Iran launched missiles at US bases in the region, and Gulf states activated air defenses. The current precautionary measures extend across the country, from the northern city of Karmiel to the southern Red Sea port of Eilat.
No Iranian missile launches have been reported, and the alerts remain precautionary. The Home Front Command has not updated its guidelines, and it remains unclear whether the municipal actions reflect a coordinated assessment or localized decisions. The weekend period continues to be flagged as a potential window for escalation.
8 developments
- StrongCarmiel opens public shelters, says move was local decision not by Home Front Command
- StrongIsrael raises alert level, opens public shelters as US presses Iran to avoid retaliation
- StrongEilat municipality opens all public shelters amid security situation
- StrongKiryat Gat opens public shelters, security analyst reports
Source and signal
- Internal intake