TEL AVIV, Israel (CHATNEWSTV) — In the wake of Iran’s massive retaliatory missile and drone strikes that killed at least three people and wounded dozens, Israelis voiced a mix of defiance, despair and growing unease as explosions rocked cities and sirens pierced the early morning air.
“It won’t end soon,” said Max Rashpski, standing near debris in Tel Aviv. “It will take a long time. This is a regional war. This is another round of escalation — a war we’ve been in for two years now.”
Iran launched the overnight barrage in response to Israeli airstrikes that targeted its nuclear infrastructure and killed senior military and scientific personnel. Iran’s U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 were wounded in the Israeli attacks. Israel has defended its actions as a pre-emptive strike to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions — a rationale that has not been publicly backed by the U.S. or independent experts.
The escalation led to the cancellation of a scheduled round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, which were to take place Sunday.
As missiles lit up the skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israeli civilians were jolted from sleep and urged by military alerts to seek immediate shelter.
“Sirens started this morning. Suddenly there was a crazy explosion in the neighborhood,” said Opal Mizrachi, a resident of northern Tel Aviv. “All the neighbors are complaining about shattered glass. First time something like this has happened here, in such a crazy scale. We are recovering from this.”
Another Tel Aviv resident, Moshe Shani, described the panic as a missile hit near his home.
“There was a siren, I woke my wife up, we ran downstairs to the shelter, we locked the door,” he said. “A few minutes later there was a boom that shook the entire shelter door. The door opened, we heard noises. We thought that’s it — the house was gone. Half the house was gone, fell apart.”
Mixed emotions in aftermath
On the streets of Tel Aviv, emotions ranged from stoic resilience to raw anxiety.
“It’s not particularly pleasant, and unfortunately, we are pretty much used to this,” said Ram Ilan. “For me, it’s more annoying than a threat.”
Others showed deeper unease. Howard Alansteen, an American citizen living in Israel, said his wife was desperate to leave.
“She’s very, very anxious and wants to leave as soon as possible,” Alansteen said. “She’s talking about going over the bridge to Jordan or getting on a ferry to Cyprus. She is really upset.”
David, who stood near a damaged residential building, said Israel must push forward with its military operations.
“We see the destruction — nothing will deter us,” he said. “We must continue our mission and eliminate those we need to, do whatever is necessary. We will continue with all our might, advancing, advancing.”
Yet among the defiance, a quieter voice of sorrow could still be heard.
“I hoped none of this would happen. Not to us and not to them,” said Erez, a cyclist who passed by an attack site. “Everyone should live in their own space.”
He questioned the cost of continued conflict.
“These ballistic missiles and the missiles that [U.S. President] Trump is sending us — it is not worth the money that American taxpayers pay,” he said. “It is not worth the danger to our soldiers. Everyone wants to live in peace. I hope this reaches the right people.”
