Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Jan 15: The mayor of Dimona in southern Israel on Wednesday ordered the opening of public shelters across the city as a precautionary measure amid escalating regional tensions, Israeli media reports said.

Dimona Mayor Benny Biton said the decision was taken as a safety measure, noting that “it is better to be prepared than surprised,” according to daily Israel Hayom.

Meanwhile, Israeli Telegram channels circulated unverified images claiming that the Iron Dome air defence system was being deployed in Jerusalem. However, there was no official confirmation from the Israeli military.

The developments come against the backdrop of heightened rhetoric between the United States and Iran. Iran has been witnessing widespread anti-government protests over deteriorating economic conditions, while US officials have warned of strong action if Iranian authorities execute protesters.

Israel has been preparing for the possibility of missile attacks from Iran in the event of a US strike on Tehran. In June, Israel, with US support, launched a 12-day military operation against Iran, which responded with drone and missile strikes on Israeli targets before a ceasefire was announced.

According to Israeli daily Maariv, the country has raised the alert level of its air force, military intelligence directorate (Aman) and Northern Command in anticipation of a possible escalation.

Iranian authorities have accused the US and Israel of backing unrest in the country, describing the protests as acts of “riots” and “terrorism.” While Iran has not released official casualty figures, US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has claimed that at least 2,500 people have been killed and over 1,100 injured since the protests began.