Israel’s new missile alert system activated during Iranian attack
During Tuesday’s Iranian attack on Israel, a new missile alert system was utilized in Israel for the first time.
The new “Personal Message” missile alert system sends messages directly to the phones of people within a given area that is under threat.
The system relies on Cell Broadcast technology, which does not require the sender to have access to individual cell phone numbers, but rather sends messages out to all phones that are in range of a particular radio cell.
As sirens sounded all across Israel, everyone within a range of radio cells that were identified as being in danger zones received a message on their cell phone warning of the incoming missiles, and were told to get to a bomb shelter immediately.
Another message was sent out once it was determined that it was safe to leave the bomb shelters.
The new system is just one more method that Israel has chosen to utilize in alerting the public of incoming missiles.
Those who have the IDF Home Front Command app already downloaded to their phones also receive alerts, and siren tones are set to go off in all areas under threat of incoming missiles.
While instructions are usually targeted to particular areas under attack, Tuesday evening saw almost the entirety of Israel's 10 million citizens ordered to enter bomb shelters, as about 180 ballistic missiles from Iran rained down across the country.
The attack from Iran primarily targeted several Israeli Air Force bases, as well as the headquarters of Mossad (Israel's foreign intelligence agency).
The IDF deemed the attack as “ineffective,” saying that while several airbases were indeed hit, the strikes did not cause major damage or casualties.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
