Israel-Hamas war: Aussies in Israel preparing bomb shelters amid fears of Iran strike

Australians living in Israel are on high alert amid fears of an imminent strike from Iran, with one mother likening their tactics to “psychological terror”.

Australians living in Israel are preparing their bomb shelters ahead of an imminent attack from Iran, with its leader warning of “divine wrath” if it backs down.

Israel remains on high alert after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded a retaliation to the assassination of Hamas chairman Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

United States President Joe Biden has been pushing for a peace deal between Israel and Hamas to reduce the risk of Iran escalating the conflict in the Middle East.

Hamas refused to attend talks in Qatar on Friday Australian time, with no clear path to an end of the 11 months’ long conflict.

Emily Gian, who moved to Israel in July last year with her husband Tomer and three children, have been bracing for an Iranian attack.

“There’s psychological terror. Iran keeps posting warnings on its Iran pages in English on X (Twitter) saying ‘2am’, or ‘the attack is in two hours’,” she said.

“It could be today, it could be any time. I’ve got an 11 year old, a nine year old and a five year old.

“We have to tell the kids that they could be woken up and taken to the bomb shelter. We tried to shield the kids at the start but they all talk about it at school so they know.”

Emily Gian, 41, with her husband Tomer and their three children in their bomb shelter in Israel. Supplied

The 41-year-old from Melbourne lives in Yehud, near the Ben Gurion International Airport, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Iran has so far delayed an attack on Israel since Haniyeh was killed on July 31 in a bomb blast at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps safe house.

The bomb was planted up to two months before the attack, but was an embarrassing security breach for Iran.

There have also been fears of an attack on Israel on two fronts, with Hezbollah believed to be plotting an attack in retaliation for the bombing death of its key figure Fuad Shukr in a strike claimed by Israel.

Hamas has 115 hostages being held in tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip.

The terrorist group’s new leader Yahya Sinwar has previously also been seeking shelter in those tunnels, but now his location has become a tightly guarded secret only passed on in handwritten messages to a trusted few insiders.

Emily Gian, 41, with her husband Tomer. Picture: Supplied

The bed in the shelter. Picture: Supplied

Yosi Tal returned to Sydney this week after spending a month in Israel.

He said that there were more than 80,000 people already displaced from Israel’s north as they brace for an attack from Hezbollah.

Mr Tal said there was “a lot of sadness, but there was also resilience” in Israel.

“There are a lot of Israeli refugees, the north is being bombed every day,” he said.

“People are holding it together, they are still having weddings. Life is going on, but Israel has not had a war go this long for a long time.

“But this new generation, the TikTok generation has shown they will fight and die for their country.”

Mr Tal said there was debate within Israel about the strategy of the war, amid concerns about delays in the release of hostages.

But he blamed Hamas for the deadlock.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been promising “absolute victory” including the destruction of Hamas but has been pressured to accept a three-stage deal to end the war.

United States security sources have claimed that Israel has done all it can militarily in Gaza, with more than 14,000 Hamas fighters killed.

More than 40,000 people have died in Gaza since the war began following the October 7 terrorist attack.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimates as many as 12,000 Australians live in Israel.

Originally published as Israel-Hamas war: Aussies in Israel preparing bomb shelters amid fears of Iran strike