Story perspectives

Four Israeli cities open all shelters amid Iranian missile threat

7/23/2026

Center

Cities Open Shelters

Ramat Gan, Eilat, Karmiel and Kiryat Gat opened all public bomb shelters on Thursday after assessments indicated heightened Iranian missile risk.
Municipal officials, noting no new Home Front Command order, acted as mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen announced the shelters on social media.
Israel Defense Forces said it received no shelter-opening order and Front Command guidelines stay unchanged.
Defense Ministry plans 1,000 new public shelters and renovation of 500 existing ones nationwide.

Left

Cities Open Shelters

Ramat Gan, Eilat, Karmiel and Kiryat Gat opened all bomb shelters Thursday after local assessments flagged higher Iranian missile risk.
Qatar and Egypt offered a 10-day cease-fire to revive the memorandum and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Authorities said the shelter openings were a precaution to protect civilians amid rising regional tensions.
President Donald Trump warned he would destroy Iranian bridges for each ship attacked in Hormuz.

Blindspot

Qatar and Egypt, acting as regional mediators, offered a 10-day cease-fire proposal aimed at reviving the interim memorandum of understanding and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

On 17 January 1991 Iraq launched a campaign of about 42 Scud missiles at Israeli cities, prompting nationwide shelter alerts and U.S. intelligence support. Jordan’s King Hussein and U.S. pressure convinced Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir to refrain from retaliation, preserving the coalition. Those 1991 mobilizations form the precedent for today’s extensive civil-defense openings across Tel Aviv, Haifa and other municipalities.

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Cities Open Shelters

Ramat Gan, Eilat, Karmiel and Kiryat Gat opened all public bomb shelters on Thursday after assessments indicated heightened Iranian missile risk.
Municipal officials, noting no new Home Front Command order, acted as mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen announced the shelters on social media.
Israel Defense Forces said it received no shelter-opening order and Front Command guidelines stay unchanged.
Defense Ministry plans 1,000 new public shelters and renovation of 500 existing ones nationwide.

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