South Florida residents with relatives in Israel live tense moments after attack
MIAMI - For South Florida residents with family members in Israel, Tuesday was nerve-wracking.
Iran launched at least 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel on Tuesday. Many of the missiles were intercepted by Israel's air defense systems, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said, although some landed in southern and central Israel.
CBS News Miami spoke with two sisters, one in South Florida and one in Israel. Monique Perez, who took cover in a bunker in Netanya, Israel, described the moments she realized her community was under attack.
"First this afternoon we heard a lot of booms. There were a lot of loud booms which were missiles being intercepted, and then this evening we just got an alert that we had to go to the bunker around 7:30 p.m. So the whole building ran downstairs to the bunker, there were a lot of children, and we sang songs and we prayed," said Perez.
As she escaped to safety, her mind was with her family, wondering if they were okay.
"My kids, my grandchildren, you worry about them. Make sure everyone else got out quickly," said Perez.
She said that for the last hour, it had been quiet, and they received word it was okay to come out of the bunker. Perez also learned that all her family members were safe.
Her sister, Liliane Weinstein, lives in Boca Raton. Most of her family lives in Israel. She described the anxiety she felt as she learned the news from Florida.
"They've been sent to the bunkers, I don't know, for a couple of hours now. Constant barrage of rockets, missiles, then of course we lose contact because there's no communication and there's no access to Wi-Fi, so it's been very stressful, scary, frustrating," said Weinstein.
She said that nearly one year after the horrific Hamas attack on Israel, it's devastating that the war presses on.
"It's not something that we thought would continue for so long. We thought this was going to be over as soon as it started," said Weinstein.
Perez said in this trying time, the people of Israel stand strong, refuse to live in fear, and ask for continued prayers.
"Spread the word that we are trying to get our hostages home. We don't want this. We didn't start this. It's not us. There are a lot of people dying and it's very sad," said Perez.