Anadolu reported that Israel’s Defense Ministry and the army’s Home Front Command began placing new “Arbel”-type shelters – reinforced closed units with heavy doors – near schools and public buildings in areas lacking adequate protection.
Concrete shelters installed in northern Israel during Israel’s military operation in Gaza are ineffective in protecting against Iranian ballistic missile attacks, Al Mayadeen reported on Thursday, citing Israeli media.
The shelters, positioned across northern regions, are now being criticized as unsafe, the report said.
Israeli mayors raise the alarm as exposed shelters in the north were deemed unsafe against Iranian missiles.#Palestine#Iran https://t.co/FEY4OyW4sQ
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 19, 2025
It cited the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper as having reported that, according to the Israeli Home Front Command, these exposed concrete structures, initially deployed to shield against rocket fire, “do not provide effective protection against long-range missiles from Iran, due to the deadly pressure waves they produce.”
The command now advises Israelis to use fortified rooms, known as MAMADs, or enclosed public shelters with steel doors, warning that open shelters can become “deadly traps even if the missile does not fall directly nearby,” Al Mayadeen said.
Shelters Shuttered
Despite this, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that no official directives have been issued to close these exposed shelters, prompting confusion and growing discontent among settlers and local officials, according to Al Mayadeen.
In Akka (Acre), Mayor Amichai Ben-Shalush reportedly began shuttering shelters in older neighborhoods where alternative protection is unavailable.
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Videos shared online showing the closures, Al Mayadeen noted, were reportedly the first time some municipal leaders learned of the situation.
Michael Kabsa, head of the Hatzor HaGlilit Council, accused the military of “serious negligence,” noting that the structures intended to save lives have effectively turned into “death traps.”
Additionally, the mayors of several northern municipalities have criticized the Home Front Command for withholding official closure instructions despite acknowledging the shelters’ limitations.
‘Direct Authorization’ Required
Al Mayadeen further reported that the Israeli army issued a statement clarifying that the use of such shelters requires direct authorization from the Home Front Command.
Israeli don’t even spare their own!
According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, citing eyewitnesses in Tel Aviv: “We have no shelters, and our neighbors are closing the doors of their shelters to us.” pic.twitter.com/DEAEY38Mja
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) June 15, 2025
“If no other options are available, residents may enter exposed shelters, but are warned not to stand near the opening and to close the door, if one is present,” the report added.
As tensions escalate in the region, concerns are mounting that northern settlers are being left exposed to growing threats without adequate protection or clear instructions from military leadership, the report said.
Prefab Bomb Shelters
According to the Anadolu news agency, Israel began installing dozens of prefabricated bomb shelters across Tel Aviv and central cities earlier this week, as Iranian missile strikes continued to target the capital.
🇮🇱🚨 In some cities in central Israel, ‘Arbel’ type concrete shelters have begun to be installed in places where there are not enough shelters. pic.twitter.com/fbiojpzADj
— Geo News (@GeoTienou) June 18, 2025
Citing the public broadcaster KAN, Anadolu reported that Israel’s Defense Ministry and the army’s Home Front Command began placing new “Arbel”-type shelters – reinforced closed units with heavy doors – near schools and public buildings in areas lacking adequate protection.
These shelters are designed to withstand shrapnel and blast waves and offer stronger defense than previously installed open shelters, especially in the event of ballistic missile attacks.
Hefty Cost
The next phase of the project will expand to Israel’s coastal plain and the Kiryot area near Haifa in the north, the report added. The estimated cost of the shelter deployment stands at $14.2 million.
The rollout follows mounting public frustration as many residents in central Israel, particularly in Tel Aviv, have voiced concerns about insufficient access to safe shelters, the report noted.
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On Sunday, Israel Hayom daily reported that thousands of people were stranded outdoors during missile alerts and were denied entry to existing shelters, according to Anadolu.
Israeli residents accused the government of abandoning them, saying they were left without real protection during escalating hostilities.
‘True Promise 3’
The escalation between Israel and Iran began at dawn on Friday when Israel, with tacit support from the United States, launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’, a large-scale aerial assault on Iranian nuclear facilities, missile bases, and key personnel.
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That evening, Iran responded with ‘True Promise 3’, launching dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, killing at least 13 and injuring hundreds, according to Israeli sources.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that if Israeli attacks continue, Iran’s response would become “more decisive and severe.”
(Al Mayadeen, Anadolu, PC)
WHY should zionist israelis have ANY protection ? The Palestinian elderly and women and children and babies in Gaza had no protection!…except ALLAH, THE GREATEST Protection of all!!… the israelis even laughed as they carried out one of the most cruel Genocides in this planet’s bloody history…As they now feel the impact of Iran’s huge missiles, let them remember Martyr Shaban D’Alu in his hospital bed in a tent and screaming in zionist-caused burning flames!