As the threat of attack looms, Israel waits tensely.

Israel has been strengthening its domestic front for months and has been preparing on many fronts since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.

However, the atmosphere of urgency has increased sharply in the past 10 days, after a limited-scale conflict with Hezbollah suddenly threatened to escalate into a full-scale war in the region.

Speaking to new recruits, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "I know the people of Israel are on high alert, but I ask everyone to do one thing - calm and patience."

"We are prepared to defend as well as attack, we will attack the enemy and resolutely defend ourselves."

Israel now faces the prospect of being caught in a war on multiple fronts, with a host of militia movements – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen, all funded and backed by longtime enemy Iran.

An attack is expected in the coming days after Iran and Hezbollah pledged to respond to the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut last week.

Previously, in April 2024, Iran launched an attack but Israel's air defense system repelled the attack.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from northern Israel, an area within range of Hezbollah rockets at the beginning of the war, and many border areas were abandoned.

However, a sustained attack from Hezbollah could be carried out against targets deeper inside Israel, especially sensitive targets such as the northern Israeli port city of Haifa.

The city's Rambam Hospital has been on alert since October 2023 and has prepared a three-story underground medical facility to treat patients.

"We're waiting to see how the situation develops," said hospital spokesman David Ratner.

Alarm system

The Israeli military has imposed a state of high alert and over the weekend improved its nationwide air raid siren system and warning information broadcasting system with the ability to send real-time text messages to local residents in areas that may be attacked.

Several city councils have advised residents to minimize non-essential activity, avoid gatherings and stay near protected areas.

In Haifa, Yair Zilberman, the city's director of security and emergency services, said public bomb shelters have been equipped with electronic systems that can be unlocked remotely in the event of an attack. They have also been equipped with generators.

Some underground parking garages have been approved for use as temporary shelters with enough space for thousands of people if necessary, he said.

In the central Israeli city of Ramla, the national ambulance service Magen David Adom (MDA) has sent blood reserves to an underground service center, fortified with specially reinforced concrete walls, blast-resistant doors and airlocks.

"We've seen the threat from Iran, the threat from Hezbollah. From missile attacks to threats against the state of Israel, we want to make sure we're ready for anything," said Aryeh Myers of MDA.

Last Thursday, Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection held a review meeting to decide how best to protect factories that store potentially hazardous materials from a missile attack, or how to respond to an attack on a building containing asbestos.

The Israeli military said its Home Front Command is in constant contact with factories and local authorities to ensure "full information on the level of hazardous materials in stock."

Bazan Group, a Haifa-based refinery and one of the largest in the Eastern Mediterranean, said it was "working to ensure energy security and continuous fuel supplies for the economy ."

Mass withdrawals are also a scenario that authorities are planning to deal with.

"The supply of banknotes and coins at the Bank of Israel and the banking system in Israel will be sufficient to meet withdrawals, according to all projections made," the Bank of Israel said.

Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)