Israel prepares shelters to deal with possible attack from Iran
Known as the National Management Center, Jerusalem's bunker is said to be able to withstand attacks from a wide range of existing weapons, maintaining uninterrupted communication with IDF headquarters.
An underground bunker in Jerusalem where senior leaders could stay for extended periods during a war has been prepared by the Shin Bet security agency and is now fully operational, Walla news site reported on August 4, amid concerns about attacks on Israel from Hezbollah and Iran.
According to the source, this shelter was built nearly 20 years ago, can withstand attacks from many types of existing weapons, has command and control capabilities, and is connected to the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The bunker, also known as the National Administration Center, has not been used during the past 10 months of Israel's war in Gaza.
However, the bunker has now been prepared for use by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior figures as Israel prepares for possible attacks from Iran and Hezbollah amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah ally and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have blamed Israel for the blast that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh came just hours after an airstrike claimed by Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr on Tuesday night near Beirut. Israel has claimed responsibility for Shukr's killing but has not officially commented on Haniyeh's case.
Both Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to avenge the incidents, which come amid heightened tensions as Israel battles Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel erupted following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
As things stand, the Home Front Command's directives to the Israeli public remain unchanged, but if anything changes, the IDF stressed, the public will be notified immediately.
The National Administration Center was built on Jerusalem Hill at a cost of billions of shekels after the end of the Second Lebanon War in 2006. Its exact location and depth are unknown, according to Ynet sources. It can accommodate hundreds of people and is intended for government and other essential civilian institutions.
According to Ynet, the National Management Center has not been deemed necessary in the current war so far. The preparations to use it at this time could be a sign of the seriousness of the threat from Iran and Hezbollah, especially considering that it was not used during Iran's attack on Israel in April, when it launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel, most of which were intercepted by Israel and its allies.
The US is trying to revive a regional alliance that was successful in almost completely thwarting Iran's previous direct attack on Israel, sources said, while Israeli officials acknowledged that this time there could be damage and casualties.
The last time the bunker was used was in 2018 when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a series of high-level security cabinet meetings to be held there, likely to prevent leaks to the media.
Regional tensions have escalated dangerously since October 7, 2023, when Hamas led a brutal cross-border attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken. Israel responded with a military operation to destroy Hamas and free the hostages.
A day after the Hamas attack, Hezbollah began attacks along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. As Israel and the terrorist group exchanged fire, violence escalated, with Hezbollah carrying out near-daily attacks, including firing dozens of rockets into the north on August 3.
