‘We huddled as the glass shattered’: one night in an Israeli shelter under Iran’s missiles
As many were sat down enjoying a shabbat dinner, Iran launched a devastating attack on civilian neighborhoods in central Israel.
I was at a Shabbat dinner when the two waves of missiles were launched from Iran. Despite normally keeping Shabbat, I decided to take my phone with me this evening, which meant I was able to keep up to date with the news during my 40 minutes in the shelter.
All of us in there - about 20 - were shocked to see the video of a missile crashing in central Israel, especially as we identified from social media that it was only a few blocks away from where we are.
So, at about 11 pm local time on Friday night - when the Home Front Command had permitted us to leave the shelters - I headed to the crash site to assess the situation.
The human cost of Iran's attack on Israel
It wasn't hard to tell where the site was once I was close enough: hundreds of emergency personnel, stretchers, flashing vehicles and soldiers. A small stall was set up with water bottles, and there was the usual throng of reporters and press photographers.
Treading carefully over the splinters, I headed closer to the yellow tape.
Despite being a few hours after the hit, families were still exiting the building with the help of emergency personnel. Parents carrying babies. Several people with animals carriers for cats. People with dogs. People with suitcases.
The atmosphere among them was that of uncertainty and exhaustion. Being upended and not knowing when they will be safe to come back.
Everything else seemed to be a pretty slick operation. I identified several hundred personnel, including those from the Home Front Command, Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, and multiple extremely well-equipped fire and rescue fighters. And of course, lots of soldiers.
I spoke to emergency personnel at the site. The missile landed under the pool and caused the glass in many of the windows to shatter. As far as I could see, there were no fires remaining in the area, and I was unable to see the site of the crater itself due to the cordon.
Feeling slightly voyeuristic, I headed back the way I came, trying to not get broken glass in my feet.
I didn't see any tears or panic. Just hoards of people who have seen so much and been through so much and are so very tired of it.
