Ramat Gan opened all municipal shelters Thursday amid mounting concern over potential Iranian escalation, marking the first major city-level emergency response since the U.S. intensified its bombing campaign against Iranian targets.
Mayor Carmel Shama Hacohen ordered the opening of all shelters in the densely populated central Israeli city as a "precautionary measure" in response to the mounting rhetoric from Tehran and the continuation of American air strikes, now in their twelfth consecutive night. The move came despite the Home Front Command not issuing any change to public directives.
"This is a step of caution and vigilance," a municipal spokesperson said. "At this stage, there is no change in Home Front Command guidance. City officials remain in continuous contact with the Home Front Command and will update residents of any developments."
The decision appears to signal heightened local alertness rather than an official citywide threat assessment. Other municipal leaders have not announced similar measures, and the decision drew sharp questions from residents on social media, with commenters asking why Ramat Gan was acting unilaterally.
The U.S. military completed its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, targeting naval capabilities, missile storage facilities, unmanned aircraft systems, and air defense assets. According to CENTCOM, the strikes degrade Iran's capacity to attack civilian maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio escalated rhetoric Thursday, stating that Iran seeks deals with the U.S. daily but continuously reverses its positions. "Iran is begging for a deal with America every day, but the central problem is they keep changing their minds and backing down," Rubio said.
The escalation is already rippling through Israel's economy. Energy market analysts project fuel prices will spike sharply within a week, with 95-octane self-service benzene climbing roughly 25 to 30 agorot per liter and reaching approximately 7.75 shekels—a sharp increase driven by Persian Gulf tensions and their impact on global energy markets.
Israeli defense officials have raised alert levels in recent days, though public guidance remains unchanged. The IDF's Home Front Command elevated readiness in response to assessments that Iranian retaliation could come within days.
