Israel banned public gatherings, shut schools and workplaces and moved hospital patients to underground facilities on Saturday as Tehran launched missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, Reuters reported.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency across the country, warning the public of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The military ordered the public to follow emergency guidance as it announced tens of thousands of reservists were being called up for service, including to reinforce its land borders. The police urged against non-essential travel so as to allow security and emergency vehicles to move freely.
Protected by a sophisticated air defence system, some Israelis went to the beach in Tel Aviv on Saturday ahead of the initial Iranian response, saying they felt safe and voicing support for an operation against Iran.
Israel and Iran last year faced off in an aerial war, after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran in June that the United States later joined. The war lasted 12 days, killing over 30 in Israel and more than 900 in Iran.
Tel Aviv, where several military sites are located, suffered multiple strikes during last year's war, as did parts of southern Israel where there are some military bases.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said government personnel had been advised to shelter in place, after on Friday warning staff they should leave the country if they wished to.
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