‘Everybody’s running home’: Israelis hunker down, stock up on supplies as Iran attacks
Jerusalem resident says he expects his family’s routine to be interrupted for several days as both work and school canceled; shop owner stays open late so people can buy food, water
Jerusalem residents took cover on Sunday as Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel.
Blasts rang out across the city and explosions lit the skyline red, while residents stockpiled water and sought shelter in bunkers.
“As you can see it’s empty, everybody is running home,” said Eliyahu Barakat, a 49-year-old grocery shop owner in Jerusalem’s Mamilla neighborhood.
Barakat said many people visited his shop to stock up on supplies, “water, food, everything.”
“Normally, we close at one o’clock, but we will stay open,” he added.
The Israel Defense Forces said that in total, Iran launched more than 200 projectiles at Israel, including dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warned people to get ready to seek shelter.
“I remind you that no matter where the threat is launched from, when an alarm sounds you must enter the shelter and wait there for no less than 10 minutes,” Hagari said.
The IDF Home Front Command later announced Israelis nationwide no longer need to stay near protected rooms, indicating the attack was over for now, but said restrictions on gatherings and the cancellation of all educational activities and school trips remained in force as announced Saturday.
Michael Uzan, a 52-year-old dentist, said his family had gathered at his father-in-law’s house to be together.
They followed the government’s instructions, bought non-perishable food and were ready to head to the apartment building’s bunker.
He said he expected everyday life to be disrupted over the coming days.
“No work tomorrow. Even meetings, everything is canceled. For children, schools are closed. I have a daughter who was supposed to take an important exam tomorrow, but everything is canceled,” he told AFP.
Residents of northern Israel also braced for attacks.
“I’m really afraid of war, this is serious,” Summer Khalil, 52, told AFP from the Galilee village of Majd al-Krum.
“If I hear the sirens, I don’t know what to do, we are near the Lebanese border.
“I bought 30 bottles of water, they were almost the last bottles. There was no milk in the shop,” she said.
