Israel’s civil defense announced early Friday morning the highest level of alert nationwide in response to ongoing attacks on Iran and the anticipated retaliation from that country and its allies.
Residents have been advised to stay close to shelters. All educational institutions have been closed, and public gatherings have been banned. All workplaces, except those providing essential services, are to remain closed.
Hospitals have begun preparing for the possible influx of wounded patients, according to the Times of Israel. Medical facilities in Haifa have started relocating departments to secure areas, including underground parking lots. Hospitals are also preparing to discharge patients who can be treated at home.
Airspace Closed
Civil defense authorities have warned that a “major missile attack from the east” is expected within the coming hours. The military added that attacks may also come from Yemen and Lebanon.
Israel has shut down its main airport – Ben Gurion International Airport. Many airlines had already suspended flights to some Middle Eastern cities, including Tel Aviv, due to rising tensions in the region.
Preparation for Retaliatory Strikes
IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi stated that the regime in Tehran is expected to retaliate against Israel and that “the anticipated costs will differ from what we are used to.”
According to a Thursday report by Axios, U.S. envoy for Middle East affairs Steve Witkoff reportedly warned that if Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran’s retaliation could overwhelm Israel’s air defense systems and result in mass casualties and significant damage.
President: Israel Has the Duty to Defend Itself
President of Israel Isaac Herzog declared that the goal of the attack on Iran is to “neutralize a direct and existential threat” posed by that country. Herzog emphasized that Iran’s leaders have for years openly declared their intent to destroy Israel completely and have prepared to carry out that vision.
“Israel has the inherent right and the solemn duty to defend itself—and will always do so with determination and clarity,”
the president wrote in a post on X.
Herzog stated that for decades, the Tehran regime has led a “global terrorist empire” in full view of the world, radicalizing and destabilizing the Middle East through its proxies. He added that Iran has simultaneously been continually advancing its nuclear program and expanding its arsenal of ballistic missiles.
The Israeli president expressed hope that Israel’s operation against Iran “will change the trajectory of our region towards a more peaceful and prosperous future.”
Attack on Iran
Early Friday morning, Israel launched attacks on Iran, declaring that their targets were nuclear and military facilities. According to Iranian media and officials, the attacks hit, among other sites, the key uranium enrichment facility in Natanz in central Iran, as well as a site in Parchin, where experts believe nuclear weapons research is conducted.