Tel Aviv: As tensions escalate in West Asia and flights remain suspended, several tourists in Tel Aviv have been forced to take shelter in well-equipped public bunkers. Among them is Joyce from the Netherlands, who shared her experience of coping with the uncertain situation while stranded in Israel.
Speaking to IANS, Joyce said she arrived in Israel with her husband and children for a holiday but has been unable to return home due to the suspension of flights. “We were supposed to leave on March 1, but the flights are not operating. So, for now, we are staying here,” the Dutch woman said.
Describing the arrangements inside the bunker, Joyce said, “We have set up a small tent and borrowed blankets and cushions from other tourists. Whenever the situation becomes alarming, we come here and sleep.”
She added that the facility feels safe, especially for children. “Yesterday, I was in another bunker where I could hear the bombing. Here, we cannot hear anything. It is much better for the children.”
Joyce also praised the management and security systems in place.
“There is a toilet upstairs that is cleaned every day. Food is available for purchase, and people here are very kind and helpful,” she said.
Highlighting the alert mechanisms, she noted, “The alarm systems are efficient. We have an app on our phones that informs us whether it is safe to go upstairs or not.”
On February 28, Tehran was rocked by massive explosions after Israel launched what it described as “preventive” missile strikes against Iran, dramatically escalating tensions in the region, local media reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran deliberately targets civilians while Israel and the United States focus on “mass terrorists”, defending recent military action and praising US President Donald Trump as “resolute”.
Before taking a call on military strikes against Iran, US President Trump had already delivered the same message at least 74 times: Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
The White House said on Monday that President Trump has been “unequivocal and consistent for decades” that Iran will never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. It released a compilation of his statements spanning 15 years, beginning in November 2011.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday responded sharply to remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asserting that there was never any “Iranian threat” and blaming what he termed “Israel Firsters” for the bloodshed of both Americans and Iranians.
Rubio had said on Monday (local time) that Washington launched strikes on Iran after learning that its ally Israel was preparing to act and amid concerns that Tehran would retaliate against American forces in the region.
“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio told reporters.
(IANS)
