(At the end of the article there’s a list of links to safety guides that explain what to do during a siren alert)
In Israel, in case of a threat of a missile attack in a civil area, everyone has a total of 30 seconds to get to safety.
During a missile attack, a safe space could be a “Mamad” (an apartment protected space), a “Miklat” (a shelter in a building), or even a stairwell.
English doesn’t have as many words for protected spaces as Hebrew does and it makes sense when it comes to the differences in lifestyle in English-speaking countries vs Israel.
Newer builds in Israel have built-in bomb shelters either in apartments or in the buildings. The education system in schools makes sure to include teachings to educate students on what to do and how to act in case of an attack. And for both boys and girls, it is mandatory to serve in the army after finishing high school. Even after finishing the army, the IDF can call on any adult who has served in the army for reserve service.
From childhood up until adulthood, the threat of an enemy attack amongst Israelis stays very real.
Getting to safety in 30 seconds may seem like a very short amount of time but when it comes to a situation of life or death, every second counts.
Before I heard the Red Alert for the first time, I didn’t realize how long 30 seconds could feel.
Hearing the siren was scary but I also knew that I was safe. There was a risk and the threat of danger but because of the Iron Dome (an air defense system that destroys short-range rockets fired toward Israel) and the hospitality of Israelis, I knew that I wasn’t alone and as safe as I could’ve been during an attack.
On the 5th of August, 2022 Israel’s operation “Breaking Dawn” began. It was a series of air strikes at the Gaza Strip that the IDF launched at the infrastructures of a terrorist organization- PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement). In the following days, PIJ attacked Israel, firing over 1,100 rockets toward Israel in a span of 2 days.
Over 96% of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome and no lives were lost in Israel.
The IDF first arrested Bassam Al-Saadi- a PIJ senior member- in Jenin three days before the start of the operation. At the same time, several Southern Israeli communities were put into lockdown as a safety measure.
On the first day of the operation, the IDF killed a PIJ military leader, Tayseer Jabari, and Israel’s following air strikes were a preventive measure to stop PIJ from taking revenge.
Israel didn’t wait to get attackers again, instead, it took the necessary measures to neutralize the threat.
Terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement mostly bombed Israel’s Southern communities, attacking from the Gaza Strip. However, central cities, like Rishon LeTsiyon and Tel Aviv were targeted too.
For times of war, there is an application called “Red Alert” that notifies its users, live, where, and when Red Alerts are going off in Israel.
With the app, you can use it to keep track of the current situation. But you can also use it as an indicator of when you should contact your friends or family to check up on them. That was one of the ways I used the app myself.
During the operation, “Breaking Dawn”, as the Islamic Jihad fired rockets into Israel over 200 rockets misfired and landed inside Gaza.
The goal of anti-Israel terrorist organizations is to destroy Israel and all its ideologies. And the IDF’s goal is to protect its country’s citizens.
The difference between the two objectives is pretty significant, right?
Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement targeted innocent civilians and their communities in Israel while the IDF specifically targeted bases of the terrorist organization.
Terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad harm their own families and children. But their terrorist agenda will always come first.
On the 7th of August, 2022, at 23:30, Israel time, a ceasefire between Islamic Jihad and Israel officially came into place. At 12:00, the following day, all restrictions were lifted from all Israeli communities in the South.
The operation, “Breaking Dawn”, ended on the 8th of August, having lasted for 48 hours.
After the ceasefire, there were no more sirens and it was quiet in Israel again.
I had never experienced a Siren Alert before the operation, “Breaking Dawn”. When the first siren went off, it really was scary. But after that, I became a little bit calmer and it wasn’t as scary anymore. I knew what to do if I heard a Red Alert and I had an emergency bag ready to grab, so, overall, I was better prepared.
Preparation is really key, I realized.
For closing, I wanted to add this post from the Israeli Airforce’s official Instagram page. The caption reads, “55 hours in 10 pictures- Operation ‘Breaking Dawn’”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAjd2xK9sU/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The links to safety guides:
- https://www.oref.org.il/Sip_Storage/FILES/9/2689.pdf Written by The Home Front Command (An Israel Defense Forces regional command)
- https://www.oref.org.il/12487-15895-en/Pakar.aspx “Choosing a Protected Space” also by The Home Front Command
- https://telegra.ph/Vesti-obyasnyayut-5-samyh-vazhnyh-veshchej-kotorye-nado-znat-08-05 Russian article, in Russian, explaining what to do in case of a Red Alert in Israel
