Ramat Gan, Eilat, and Karmiel opened all their public bomb shelters after municipal assessments found that the risk of Iranian missile fire over the weekend had increased and was no longer negligible, representatives from these municipalities said on Thursday.
The IDF said later on Thursday that no directive has been received to open public shelters, and that there is no notification or update to the Home Front Command guidelines or policy.
“We decided to open all the shelters in the city,” said Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen in a social media post.
“A situation assessment found that the risk of missile fire from Iran over the weekend has increased and is no longer negligible,” he said. “Despite the cost of opening them, it is right to exercise extra caution, and hopefully this opening will prove unnecessary.”
Shama-Hacohen urged residential building committees to ensure that communal shelters were prepared and accessible.
“I call on all building committees to ready the shared shelters,” he wrote.
Ramat Gan mayor opens shelters amid tensions with Iran
The mayor stressed that the decision was a municipal precaution and was not prompted by a new national alert.
“There is no special warning from the Home Front Command,” he said.
Shama-Hacohen also sought to reassure residents that Israel was prepared to respond should Iran launch another round of missile attacks.
“In any event of another round, there is no reason to panic,” he said. “We have the IDF and the air force to defend us and to attack far from here as well.”
“When our finest sons and aircraft pass over us in a ceremonial flyover, it is moving,” the mayor added. “When they are over enemy cities, they are the best, most precise, and deadliest in the world.”
The move came amid an escalation in the US military campaign against Iran. The United States used a B-1 long-range bomber in its latest attacks and increased its military presence in the region as President Donald Trump considered expanding the campaign.
Israeli officials assessed earlier in the week that an expanded US campaign against Iranian strategic infrastructure and senior regime officials could prompt Tehran to retaliate directly against Israel.
Ramat Gan has suffered direct hits during previous rounds of Iranian missile fire. An Iranian missile struck a residential building in the city in March, killing an elderly couple, according to emergency officials and residents.
Civil defense infrastructure has remained a national concern following repeated Iranian attacks. The Defense Ministry and Home Front Command previously announced a plan to install 1,000 new public shelters and renovate 500 others across the country.
Shelters opened from south to north
The Eilat municipality spokesperson also announced that all of the city's shelters would be opened, even if no changes were made by the Home Front Command.
"Accordingly, the Emergency and Security Division in the municipality opened the public shelters and, together with the supervision and enforcement units, conducts frequent patrols of the shelters. In addition, all operators of the dual-purpose shelters received a notice requiring them to be prepared to open immediately upon receiving a directive or warning," the statement said.
Additionally, shelters in the Northern Israel city of Karmiel were also opened to the public, with the municipality saying that it "continues to monitor developments on an ongoing basis and to maintain continuous contact with all security and emergency agencies."
"I would like to reassure the residents of Karmiel; there is no change in the instructions, and there is no reason to panic. The opening of the shelters is only a step in preparation and responsibility. We are prepared for any scenario and are working in full cooperation with all security agencies," said Mayor Moshe Kuninski.
Hospitalization Authority holds meeting to ensure health system prepared
The Supreme Hospitalization Authority met to discuss emergency preparedness and is maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all hospitals and health funds, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.
No special instructions for the public have been released.