The China Mail - 'We are strong': Israelis defiant despite deadly Iran strikes

The shell of a residential building stood at the scene of the hit in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, with much of the block reduced to concrete rubble and mangled metal.

The debris-strewn street was lined with the wreckage of several destroyed cars, an AFP journalist reported, a rare sight in Israel where advanced air defences usually intercept incoming attacks.

Iran hit Israel with waves of drone and missile strikes overnight, with a barrage lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, killing three people and wounding dozens.

The attack came in retaliation to Israel's massive strikes on the Islamic republic which hit nuclear and military facilities, killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and dozens of civilians, and sought to destroy the country's defence capabilities.

Friedlander said he saw interceptions in the sky before the sirens blared out.

"We quickly went into the shelter, and after a few minutes we heard a huge boom -- we knew it was something severe," he told AFP.

"There was smoke inside the shelter, and the shelter started to break apart a bit. We were afraid to go out," he added.

After 10 minutes in the shelter, Friedlander said he left to find his entire apartment completely destroyed.

"It's only damage to property," he said. "I have to thank God that we are alive."

- 'We are not nervous' -

Air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Israel through the night, with many residents holed up in bomb shelters until home defence commanders stood down alerts.

AFPTV footage from central Tel Aviv showed fire and smoke rising from a condo tower, a large hole ripped open by an explosion at its base.

"They (Iran) want to destroy us," Friedlander said. "But we are strong...

"That's the way it is, we have to keep going, defeat them, until the victory."

In a residential area of Rishon LeZion, also near Tel Aviv, first responders stood atop the rubble of collapsed buildings, inspecting the damage.

Kobi Cohen said the door of his shelter was blown away by the impact of an explosion which hit nearby.

"All the windows, all the doors, all the glass of the windows burst but we survived thank God. That's the most important thing," he said.

Cohen said someone was killed following an explosion in a nearby street, but "most people here have experienced wars in their life, so we are not nervous".

- 'Trust in God' -

On the beachfront in Tel Aviv on Saturday, the usually packed bars and restaurants were closed but a few dozen people swam, sunbathed, took selfies and walked dogs, seemingly unfazed by the overnight volley.

"We got up, got out of the bomb shelter and went to the beach, had breakfast," said Tal, a resident of neighbouring Jaffa who declined to give his last name.

He said previous attacks, including a missile barrage from Iran in April 2024, meant Israelis had become largely used to such events.

"I think we've pretty much destroyed their plans of retaliation," he added, referring to Israel's unprecedented attack on Iran which has hit more than 200 military and nuclear sites according to the Israeli army.

Dalia Neeman, 77, an artist who lives in Tel Aviv also said she believed Israel's campaign in Iran would "be for the better, for all the world".

"Something's supposed to change," she told AFP.

Neeman said she felt safe in Tel Aviv despite Iran's deadly retaliation.

"We believe in God, trust in God to help us every time," she said.

K.Lam--ThChM