According to her, the atmosphere of tension had been growing for several days. “This climate of tension has been escalating for a few days now. Life was normal, but we always received some messages on television,” he said. When you hear the sirens, she and her family immediately ran to the residence’s bomb disposal room.where they remain to date. “We’ve been in the bomb room for a while now without being able to get out,” he said.
“There are missiles being launched from Iran across the country, from north to south, with intervals of a few minutes between some areas,” he said. Despite the severity, Michelle highlighted that the population is relatively accustomed after almost three years of recurring conflicts. “It’s sad to say, but, in the last three years, we’ve almost gotten used to this situation, so it’s not a situation where we panic,” he explained.
Even so, in the early hours, there was a rush to supermarkets. Israeli authorities maintain the same guidelines as always: when you hear the siren, seek shelter immediately. “So far all the missiles have been intercepted or landed in open areas. Thank God there is no precedent for anyone getting hurt,” said Michelle, who also received alerts about a house in the North being hit, possibly by debris.
With the country once again in “war mode”, only essential services operate. “People really stay at home and only go out when they are extremely necessary,” he added.. Michelle ended the interview with hope: “We really hope that it won’t take so long and that things can end for the good this time, both for us and for the world and for the Iranian people who can free themselves from this regime and be a free people.”
Attacks
The joint operation between the US and Israel began with smoke being seen over Tehran, the Iranian capital, after attacks that Tel-aviv classified as preventive. Shortly thereafter, Trump used his Truth Social platform to post a surprise video statement announcing US combat operations in Iran, with the aim of “eliminating imminent threats.”
Smoke was seen rising over Tehran’s Pasteur district — home of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and there was a huge security detail in the capital. The US and Israel said their operations targeted Iranian military sites. The Israeli army warned Iranians in or near military infrastructure across the country to evacuate, saying the attacks came after months of joint planning between the allies.
In southern Iraq, a bombing targeting a military base housing a pro-Iran group killed at least two people, according to authorities. Explosions were also heard near the US consulate in Erbil, Iraq, according to AFP journalists.
Wave of missiles and drones
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain after a first wave of missile and drone attacks were launched against Israel.
“The first wave of widespread missile and drone attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the occupied territories has begun,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement, referring to Israel.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it was treating a man with explosion injuries in the north of the country. Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared it would respond “decisively” to the attacks, insisting that Tehran had done “everything necessary to prevent war from breaking out.”
Explosions in the Gulf
Explosions were reported across the Gulf region. AFP correspondents in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, heard loud explosions, as well as in the Bahraini capital, Manama, and in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates claimed to have intercepted Iranian missiles and reserved the right to respond to attacks. Residents of Abu Dhabi told AFP they heard loud explosions in the Emirati capital, which hosts a base with US personnel. Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted several missile attacks, while Kuwait also faced incoming attacks.
*with information from AFP
*text made with the help of Artificial Intelligence
