BAT YAM, ISRAEL — Residents in central and northern Israel are grappling with the harrowing aftermath of Iran’s overnight missile assault, which struck residential areas with deadly precision, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief.

In the coastal town of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, Julia Zilbergoltz stood amidst the debris of what was once her home, visibly shaken. “I’m stressed and in shock,” she told AFP. “I’ve been through tough times in life, but never anything like this.”

Zilbergoltz, like many others, was sleeping when the Iranian missile hit. She did not hear the warning sirens and was jolted awake only by the deafening blasts. Her apartment building was one of several hit in the area, and officials confirmed that six people, including two children, were killed in the strike that leveled her home.

Nearby, Yivgenya Dudka recounted a similar horror. “Everything was destroyed. There’s nothing left. No house. That’s it,” she said.

Toll Rises Across Israel

Elsewhere, the northern town of Tamra was also targeted, where four more lives were lost. Since the hostilities began on Friday, at least 13 people in Israel have been killed. According to data released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Iranian missiles struck approximately 22 locations nationwide.

Footage broadcast on local news channels showed widespread devastation across affected areas, including Tel Aviv and Rishon Lezion, where residential buildings lay in ruins and emergency crews scrambled to assist survivors and recover those trapped beneath rubble.

A Community in Crisis

In Bat Yam, Mayor Tzvika Brot took to social media to describe the severity of the attack. “The missile caused great destruction and damage to dozens of buildings,” he said. More than 100 people were injured, and search and rescue teams from the Home Front Command continue efforts to locate survivors buried under debris.

Among those who narrowly escaped death was Shahar Ben Zion. “I didn’t want to go down to the shelter,” he admitted. “My mother convinced me. Then there was an explosion—I thought the whole house had collapsed.” He credited his survival to a miracle.

A Divided Public

While many residents expressed support for Israel’s military response to Iranian provocations, others voiced concern about the potential for prolonged conflict. “I understand the danger Iran poses to Israel,” said 38-year-old Tel Aviv resident Orly Cohen. “But I’m also very worried that the government may drag this out longer than necessary.”

The missile attacks came in response to Israeli airstrikes earlier this week that targeted Iranian military and nuclear installations. The escalation marks one of the most direct confrontations between the two countries in recent memory.

A Nation on Edge

As the region remains on high alert, rescue operations continue, and citizens brace for what might come next. In cities like Bat Yam and Tel Aviv, the sound of sirens and the chaos of emergency services have become the new normal, leaving residents to pick up the pieces—both literal and emotional.

For now, amid smoldering ruins and makeshift shelters, Israelis like Zilbergoltz and Dudka are simply trying to cope with the sudden loss of everything they once called home.