War! Israelis take refuge in underground train stations at nights
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Associated Press photo.
Ramat Gan/Israel: Amid escalations between Israel and Iran, many in Israel are choosing underground train stations to sleep the night. Since the war began a week ago with Israel's airstrikes on Iran, families with young kids, foreign workers, and young professionals have brought mattresses and sleeping bags, snacks and pets into the stations each evening, the Associated Press reported.
On Wednesday night, in a station that straddles Tel Aviv and neighbouring Ramat Gan, parents settled in their kids with stuffed animals while young people fired up tablets loaded with movies. Many walked in carrying boxes of pizza. Workers set out snacks and coffee.
One among those who found shelter in the train stations said, “We're not sleeping because of the anxiety and because of the sirens that are happening during the nights. It's very scary to run every time to the shelter.”
They said that the situation reminded them of World War 2.
“Now, we'll be able to tell our grandkids about this,” the person said.
The war between Israel and Iran began on June 13, when Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, as well as top generals and nuclear scientists.
More than 600 people, including over 200 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. People in Tehran have also packed into metro stations as strikes boomed overhead.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and more than 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Those strikes have killed have killed 24 people and injured hundreds in Israel. Missiles have struck 40 different sites, including apartment buildings, offices and a hospital, according to authorities.