Bay Area communities anxiously watch latest developments between Israel, Iran
On Tuesday morning, the country woke up to what may become a new war in the Middle East between Iran and Israel, as ballistic missiles began raining down on Tel Aviv.
And Bay Area people with connections to both countries were anxiously watching the latest developments play out.
When the missiles started falling, people were instructed to get to a bomb shelter immediately. That included student Julia Kelley, who has friends in the Bay Area and spoke to KPIX as she sheltered underground.
"We go into the bomb shelter and sirens start going off constantly, constantly, with only a very short break in between," she said. "We were hearing a lot of explosions outside as well. And it was really scary, so we have been in this bomb shelter for over an hour."
More than 200 ballistic missiles were launched by Iran, most either destroyed by Israeli defenses or landing without serious damage. But what was the point of the barrage? Dr. Abbas Milani, who heads up the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford, said the Iranian regime is trying to show strength after Israel's recent attack on many Hezbollah leaders with exploding communications devices.
"So, it's a very, I think, perilous moment," he said. "I call it kind of a 'dance of deterrence.'"
Dr. Milani said he's not surprised if local Iranians are worried for their relatives back home. He said they have good reason to be.
"If Israel attacks, the Iranian regime's leaders aren't going to get killed. They're already in holes deep in the mountains," he said. "They're civilians that are going to get killed. This regime absolutely cares none, as Hamas absolutely cares none, as Hezbollah absolutely cares none, how many innocent civilians are killed."
Mohammad Zahir Faizi works for a South Bay nonprofit that helps immigrants from Middle Eastern countries like Iran. He said there's a lot of fear right now.
"It's very sad when you see these wars happen," said Faizi. "And you sleep and wake up seeing, like, this war's going to start. So, they have their families back over there and they're thinking about that one as well."
But the Jewish community is also concerned that a larger war could make them targets in the U.S., as well. Rafael Brinner and Molly Jozer, with the Jewish Community Federation, advise local Jewish organizations on security measures.
They were already bracing for the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
"Everyone's just really looking for community," said Jozer. "And trying to find ourselves, kind of lost in this tapestry right now with what's going on and our connections to Israel and our connection to the Bay Area and what that means for a lot of people going into this one-year anniversary."
"This is something we've grown up with," said Brinner. "This is something that's been in the back of our mind, even if we didn't experience it personally, it's our parents or our grandparents that have faced this in their lifetime. So, in that context, the community that we educate and train understands that background, understands that this is a moment when risks and dangers have increased. And this is why we need this training."
Surprisingly, Dr. Milani said the last thing the Iranian regime wants is all-out war with Israel.
He said they were simply trying to show strength, although Israel has already pledged to retaliate for the missile attack. Even more than hatred, nothing fans the fires of war like fear. And at this moment in time, it feels like there is plenty of that to go around.
