Israelis have expressed a sense of relief and optimism following US President Donald Trump’s order for air strikes on Iran, 10 days into a war that appears to have broad public backing.
Despite daily alerts to bomb shelters and increasing damage across the country, Israelis largely seem united behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to attack Iran on June 13.
Trump’s authorisation of overnight bombing raids on Iranian nuclear facilities has provided additional reassurance after more than a week of Israeli air force sorties.
Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer in Jerusalem, told AFP, “The war with Iran was inevitable. You knew it would happen sooner or later.”
He hoped the US involvement would shorten the conflict, stating that Israel “by itself would not stop until they get that Fordo place bombed,” referring to the deeply buried Iranian nuclear site targeted by US bombers.
Despite Israel’s advanced air defences intercepting hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, some have slipped through. Three more impacts were reported on Sunday morning in Haifa and near Tel Aviv, adding to at least 50 acknowledged strikes nationwide.
Official figures report 25 deaths in Israel since the conflict began.
Renana, a resident whose apartment block in Ramat Gan was hit by a missile on Thursday, expressed concern for her building’s recovery but held no resentment towards Netanyahu’s actions.
“The truth is that God is with us, and the government should go on with whatever they’re doing, which is exactly what should have been done a long time ago,” she stated.
For the past 10 days, Israelis have adapted to a state of heightened alert, with businesses and schools closed and residents urged to stay home.
Many have experienced interrupted sleep due to constant missile warnings on their phones.
David, a 43-year-old Jerusalem resident, remarked, “We woke up to a Sunday morning of alarms, and then we saw that the US attacked. We’re all happy that the US is lending a hand; it has always been lending a hand.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the BBC that this moment presents “an opportunity to come to a dialogue of peace, also a dialogue of peace between all nations in the region, including Israelis and Palestinians.”
Israel’s typically fragmented political landscape has also shown unity in support of the attack on Iran.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid endorsed Netanyahu’s decision as “the right one.” A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute conducted immediately after the initial strikes on June 13 found 70 per cent of Israelis supported the war.
However, this support showed a significant divide: 82 per cent among Jewish Israelis, compared to only 35 per cent among Israel’s Arab minority, who largely identify as Palestinian.
Israeli pollster Dahlia Scheindlin noted a “sharp contrast” between how Israelis view this conflict with Iran versus the protracted war in Gaza, which many perceive as a “dirty war.”
Netanyahu has faced criticism for failing to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and accusations of prolonging the Gaza conflict for political reasons.
He is also subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, where nearly 56,000 people have been killed.
Scheindlin cautioned that public sentiment could shift if the conflict with Iran becomes prolonged.
