‘Situation is tough’: Indians in Israel share ordeal after Iran’s missile attack

Indian citizens living in Israel expressed their fear for safety as Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles on Israel on Tuesday. Several Indians have shared videos of Iranian missiles being intercepted by Israel and also shared their difficulties as Israel vowed to respond, threatening to push the region into an all-out war.
Nilabja Roychowdhary, studying medicine at Bar-Ilan university in Israeli capital Tel Aviv, from Kolkata told The Times of India that the situation is getting “scarier” by the day.
“A few days ago, a bomb dropped barely 100 metres from a friend’s home. A CCTV camera captured the footage. I could have been in his house too,” added Roychowdhary explaining that the current tensions are much higher than that prevailed during Israel’s war against Hamas from October 7 last year.
“The situation is tough. We have not seen something as threatening as this ever,” said a caregiver from Telangana while sharing a video of missiles hitting buildings in the capital.
Authorities in Israel have ordered several citizens, including Indians, to evacuate to nearest bomb shelters. “We are in the safety room. No need to worry, but just before the siren blows, you need to go into the safety room. I am from Telangana, living in Tel Aviv,” an Indian can be heard saying in a video shared by news agency PTI.
Puspur Sarangadhar, another caregiver from Telangana told TOI that many were attracted by the opportunity to earn higher salaries in Israel but do not feel safer anymore. “I have to take care of the educational expenses of my two children,” he added.
The Indian embassy in Israel on Tuesday advised its citizens to remain vigilant and follow safety protocols as instructed by local authorities. “Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within the country, and stay near safety shelters. The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is in regular contact with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all our nationals,” the embassy stated in its advisory.
According to the Indian Embassy, there are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders to take care of them, diamond traders, I.T. professionals and students.