‘Nowhere feels safe’: Voices from Jerusalem and Tehran under fire

The conflict between Israel and Iran is slowly but steadily morphing into a full-scale war – one where drones give way to ballistic missiles, military targets are replaced by homes and offices, and threats of mass bloodshed drown out any hopes for negotiation. While Israeli civilians have long grown used to sirens and shelters, the recent escalation came just as abruptly for them as it did for Iranians. No one was ready.

RT spoke with residents of Jerusalem and Tehran – two cities at the heart of a decades-long standoff that had remained largely bloodless, until now. They shared what it’s like to live through the airstrikes, flee their homes, and face a grim new reality no one asked for – one that may not be going away anytime soon.

The day it all changed

RT: How did you survive the first day of attacks? 

Leila, Jerusalem (name changed): Friday began at 3 AM. First, I heard a city-wide siren, which usually sounds during attacks from Yemen. Then – a terrifying alert, not from some app, but directly from the phone’s built-in emergency system. It usually warns of earthquakes, tsunamis, or other disasters. It screams horrifically…

In many parts of Israel, such alerts are unusual. In Jerusalem, for example, sirens hadn’t sounded like that in years – until October 7, when rockets came directly from Gaza.

I’ll admit – after hearing the siren for the first time, I am now scared of everything: the wind howling, the oven timer, my alarm clock. I start shaking all over when I hear those.

We were told to go to a [bomb] shelter as quickly as possible and follow instructions from the Home Front Command (a branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responsible for civil defense — RT).

Everyone was running, terrified, asking what was happening. Everyone woke up. Usually, when there’s a citywide siren, no one runs [to shelter] – mostly it’s just one missile from the Houthis, intercepted in the desert or outside Israel.

Normally, the Home Front Command states what’s coming and from where – drone? Missile? UAV? – but this time, nothing. Nothing in the official Israeli news either, so I opened Al Jazeera’s livestream – and saw Tehran being bombed.

So many questions popped up: “Are they bombing because something came from Tehran? Or are we being attacked too?”

When we realized we weren’t in danger, we went back home. Once we got there, we found out that Israel struck first – but there had been no retaliation yet. Israel declared martial law: schools and unis canceled, work too… public transport barely functions.

We spent the entire Friday waiting for more attacks – and they did began at night. The shelling was massive. Fortunately, the alert system works quite well: phones emit that creepy siren, and alerts show which neighborhoods are in danger. Then, 90 seconds before impact, another siren sounds – so loud it can be heard not only in the nearest neighborhood, but in a nearby city.

Javad, Tehran (name changed): On Friday, around 3 AM, there were incredibly loud bangs – Israel started targeting all top commanders, high-ranking officers, nuclear physicists… It continued until 6 or 7 in the morning. From what I understood, they used drones, launched from inside Iran.

Over these past few days, we’ve gotten used to it – living, sleeping, walking around during this. It’s no longer as terrifying as it was at first. So when the shelling starts, people usually just stand and film – no one runs.

Casualties are high – mainly because missiles [Israel is] hitting residential buildings. On the streets, few people are getting hurt.

Saeed, Tehran: I remember that night clearly, exams were coming soon. I was asleep, but my friend was at the library studying — he called me and woke me up. It was almost 3 am. He said, ‘Saeed, wake up. Israel has attacked.’

Earlier I had felt the windows shaking, but I told myself, ‘It’s probably just a dream.’

During the Israeli missile attacks on Tehran, the public response has been a mix of fear, shock, solidarity, and survival efforts. When the sound of explosions broke the night’s silence, many people, half-asleep and terrified, rushed into the streets and alleys. Windows shattered, homes trembled, and flames blazed through the night sky.

In some areas, people responded from their rooftops with cries of “Takbir” (Allahu Akbar – RT), expressing a form of religious and national solidarity.

In areas where air defense systems successfully intercepted the missiles, people were grateful to the armed forces, ‘cause they could resume their daily lives. Those people thought of the [Israeli] attacks more as a show of force. 

But in areas that suffered direct damage, people were full of fear, confusion, and sorrow. Some people, tears in their eyes, were saying: “We are just ordinary people. We have no weapons, no shelters. All we can do is pray.”

Shelters guide: from Israel to Iran

RT: Can you hide somewhere?

Leila, Jerusalem: You can’t really hide. Rockets directly hit buildings now, it’s not shrapnel like it used to be. They’re almost impossible to intercept. Casualties are mounting.

I have to explain what the shelters are that we have here, in Israel. There is “merkhav mugan eini”, or an improvised protected space. These are stairwell corners without windows – technically they can be shelters, Though now they’re only used as a last resort. 

There are also “Mamad” rooms with built-in thick doors and sealable windows. The Home Front Command says they’re 100% safe – safer than kitchens or stairwells. But… in a recent attack, a missile hit a “mamad” and killed everyone inside.

And there’s “miklad”, an underground shelter usually located under buildings. They seem the safest since missiles usually strike the upper floors or hit somewhere in the middle but… what happens if the whole building collapses?

Some large underground shelters exist – but they’re rare and far. 

The hard part is – there aren’t shelters on every corner here. Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other cities near Gaza – they all have shelters in almost every building. But here in Jerusalem… there were different threats in the past (meaning terrorist attacks – RT), so there are fewer shelters. 

If you’re caught in the street in the middle of a shelling – there’s nowhere to hide. If you’re in a park – there’s nowhere to go.

I had to leave my house because we have no shelter nearby. There used to be one across the street, but someone locked it using a bike lock... The other shelter is quite far away. Now I don’t know what other people do: like my neighbor’s husband, who’s in a wheelchair. 

A year ago, nothing hit homes. Now it’s aimed at densely populated areas. Rockets keep coming from Gaza, from the Houthis, and now from Iran.

So far, Jerusalem has been spared, probably ‘cause it doesn’t house critical military targets. But there’s the Knesset. Once military sites are exhausted, they might turn to Jerusalem.

Saeed, Tehran: In Tehran, given the history of the Iran-Iraq war and the potential for missile strikes, certain places have been designated as emergency shelters. For example, those are Park-e Shahr underground shelter, one of the largest in central Tehran. 

There’s a Azadi sports complex equipped with reinforced underground sections usable in emergencies. 

There are also shelters in the Narmak area, the remnants from the Iran-Iraq war. And there are old sturdy passageways in Tehran Bazaar basements. 

Routine of war in Israel – and the novelty of it in Iran

RT: How has day-to-day life changed?

Leila, Jerusalem: There is a certain routinization of shelling, which is terrifying, yes – but people seem trained. They know what to do. The routine actually helps us fight fear. For example, on Saturday, I passed through a park – people were barbecuing, playing football… 

[During the bombing,] you could instantly tell who was Israeli and who wasn’t. Even in shelters, Israelis show their nails done and just gossip. The immigrants are panicking, gasping for air. 

People even go out [during attacks] – dressed in white, casually walking. Some don’t hide at all – they don’t trust the government or believe God will protect them. Many Arabs don’t seek shelter either. Though to be fair, in the West Bank, there are almost no shelters anyway.

I don’t know if it’s right. Sometimes I wonder, “If the siren sounds, and I’m on the highway, where will I go?”

Javad, Tehran: How do people spend their days now? Well, the usual. The studies are cancelled, exams rescheduled or will be online, many offices are shut – at least if you don’t work remotely. 

There aren’t many people in Tehran now. There used to be constant traffic jams, but now there’s only the void. Everyone I know has left the city. 

The only traffic there actually is, that’s a line for the refueling stations. 

Saeed, Tehran: Daily life for the people has drastically changed. People are scared, almost everyone is anxious. 

These days, you wake up to the sound of sirens or explosions. You’re either confused, or you try to migrate, or you resist [Israel]. Nights are sleepless, you either seek shelter or pray. 

Some city officials have announced that metro stations can serve as temporary shelters, especially due to their depth and reinforced structure. But some experts warn that metro systems weren’t designed for this purpose, so they may be vulnerable to severe attacks.

Since there are no official shelters in many neighbourhoods, people typically seek refuge in residential basements, public parking garages, mosques, or even stairwells. Though these places may not provide full safety, they are often the only available options.

Escape – or no way out?

RT: Is it possible to leave the city – or the country?

Javad, Tehran: It is possible, you can go to Iraq or Armenia, for example, they don’t require visas. Azerbaijan’s border has been closed for five years (due to COVID measures – RT). You could go via Turkmenistan or Afghanistan, but who would flee to Afghanistan? Afghans are fleeing from the Taliban. We’re not going to go there. 

Leila, Jerusalem: Honestly, I don’t know anyone who has managed to flee [Israel]. The airport is closed – and likely will be until martial law ends, which was extended to June 30. You could try crossing into Jordan or Egypt, but is that really viable? Especially after recent assaults against Israeli citizens in this country?

And even Jordan is being hit by rockets now – you can’t escape them. Egypt is the only real option, but many Israelis won’t go there, especially after those attacks. For most people, there’s no way out. No place is safe. 

Saeed, Tehran: Many Iranians feel the desire to leave the country, but leaving Iran is not always easy or accessible to everyone.

Iran is currently experiencing a wave of internal migration, though not a mass exodus abroad. After Israel began shelling, thousands of Iranians started fleeing Tehran and other major cities, seeking safety in more secure parts of the country – mainly rural regions or in the north, closer to the sea.

As for me, I was a student in Tehran, but because of the war, I’ve returned to my mother’s hometown of Gorgan, on the Caspian Sea’s edge.

What comes next?

RT: How do you think this ends?

Javad: I honestly don’t know how all this will end. I’m not a military or political expert. I think both sides – Iran and Israel – will fight to the end. Right now, it seems like [West Jerusalem] has the upper hand. If Iran gets out of this, it will try to do so gracefully.

Leila: They told us the war would last two weeks. Then they extended the martial law ‘till June 30. But I think it’ll be much longer. Some believe this will become a war of attrition. There’s no end in sight.

I don’t think any regional powers will join the war [for now]. Iran is a terrifying opponent.

And I’m a pessimist. I think this will end in World War III.

Saeed: The end of the Iran-Israel war is currently very uncertain, but personally, I believe Iran will win the war within a week!

Just like many of my friends, I still have dreams unfulfilled… Like traveling to Russia and seeing Red Square, like being a translator from Russian at exhibitions in Tehran, like seeing Milad Tower again.