‘Like the Covid years, but with bunkers’: Indian expats in Israel and Kuwait on life under siege
Israel has a strict policy against shooting and transmitting videos of explosions and other events related to the escalating war against Iran, an Indian staying in the country said.
Amid a flurry of military action, including attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones in retaliation for the US and Israeli strikes, Kuwait "mistakenly shot down" three American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission. (Screenshot)
By 5.30 pm on Tuesday, residents of Tel Aviv in Israel had already received 12 bomb alerts on their phones since midnight. For a 34-year-old who moved to Israel from the coastal Dakshina Kannada district six years ago, the situation was reminiscent of the pandemic years, when movement was heavily restricted.
“This is almost like the Covid years, except that we have to run to bunkers whenever we get a bomb alert,” the man who works as a caretaker at an old age home said, requesting anonymity.
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Israel has a strict policy against shooting and transmitting videos of explosions and other events related to the escalating war against Iran, he said, noting that notifications are issued to all phone users by the government.
Israel, he noted, had recently seen an influx of Indian workers. “Earlier, it was mainly as caretakers. Now, Indians are employed in construction and other sectors,” he said, estimating the presence of a few thousand individuals at Tel Aviv alone.
The situation in West Asia has escalated this week after the United States and Israel launched an offensive against Iran, leading Tehran to retaliate. With Iran targeting US bases in West Asia, thousands of Indians are watching the conflict play out.
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Multiple residents of Kuwait, another US ally caught in the conflict, declined to comment about the situation. “I am not sure (about talking to the media) as here they have strictly told not to share anything about the situation. So, I would rather not give any opinion,” an expat contacted by The Indian Express said.
The clampdown, according to an expat from coastal Karnataka, has been severe since viral videos of an F-15 being shot down in Kuwait went viral on social media. Another person refused to comment on the issue, just saying, “We are all safe here.”
A panicked Abu Dhabi resident had sent a WhatsApp message to his family group Monday evening, asking for forgiveness. “We have been hearing explosions in the city ever since the war started. We heard a loud one half an hour ago. Who knows what will happen,” he said in the message.
Members of the ruling family of the UAE were seen roaming around Dubai Mall, said Badruddin Azman, who resides in Dubai. “It was a gesture to show how safe people were in the city. Videos of it came out today,” he said on Tuesday.
Amid a flurry of military action, including attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones in retaliation for the US and Israeli strikes, Kuwait "mistakenly shot down" three American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission. (Screenshot) 
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