Ramat Gan Mayor Opens Public Shelters Amid Rising Iran Missile Threat

Carmel Shama-Hacohen, mayor of Ramat Gan, announced the opening of all public bomb shelters in the city due to an increased risk of missile attacks from Iran over the coming weekend. He cited a security assessment indicating that the threat is no longer negligible and emphasized the need for heightened caution despite the associated costs. The mayor urged residential building committees to refresh their shelters and prepare for any scenario, while clarifying that there are currently no new directives from the Home Front Command. He reassured residents that there is no cause for panic, highlighting the protection provided by the Israel Defense Forces and the Air Force.

This move comes amid heightened alertness in Israel as tensions escalate with Iran. Following a series of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington is reportedly preparing to expand strikes against Iranian targets, including deploying heavy bombers for the first time in the current conflict wave. Israeli defense officials warn that a significant increase in U.S. attacks could provoke retaliatory missile launches from Tehran toward Israel, prompting the IDF to raise readiness levels for both defensive and offensive operations. Such developments might also trigger renewed Israeli strikes inside Iran. However, Jerusalem stresses that the final decision rests with President Trump, who has yet to decide on the next steps. Israeli officials indicated that if a major U.S. strike is authorized, Israel is expected to join a broad and powerful campaign.