Tel Aviv came under fire twice Tuesday, from missiles launched by Hamas, but the IDF's Iron Dome batteries successfully intercepted both rockets.
Following the sirens in Tel Aviv and instructions from IDF Home Front Command, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality has begun working in a state of emergency and has opened all of the shelters for the public. The full list can be found at this link.
In addition, a GPS-based map of public shelters can be found on the municipal app DIGITEL (in Hebrew.)
Until IDF Home Front Command orders otherwise, all events are taking place as usual, including summer camps and other municipal public activities.
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality said Tuesday that it is working in full cooperation with the security forces and is ready to respond to any need in a state of emergency.
"Over the last few years the municipality has invested over NIS 20 million in upgrading the public shelters system," it said. "In addition, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality expanded the underground shelters network by adapting 70 underground parking lots in the total size of 850,000 sqm to fit security requirements and serve as shelters in times of need, adding an additional 850,000 sq. meters that can accommodate a total of 800,000 people.
"In the service of the public in Tel Aviv there is a wide variety of shelters including: private home shelters, joint apartment buildings shelters, educational facility shelters and 241 public shelters across the city."
"Color Red" rocket warning sirens were sounded in the coastal region on Tuesday night in Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Kfar Shmaryahu, Rishon Letzion, Nes Tziona, Beit Shemesh and its environs, Rehovot, Gedera, as well as southern communities of the coastal region, the Gezer Regional Council area, Yavne and additional communities. Sirens reportedly sounded as far north as Binyamina.
According to reports in the area, several rockets were shot down by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, and no damage has yet been reported by the missiles.
The rockets apparently are of the M75 model, a domestic creation produced by Hamas in Gaza which features a long range.
The barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv apparently was launched from Beit Hanoun in Gaza; at least one of those rockets was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.
In the latest escalation, over 170 rockets were reportedly fired at Israel as of Tuesday morning in the preceding 24 hour period.
Sources at the Security Cabinet meeting on Monday which authorized Operation Protective Edge to stop the rocket fire from Gaza said that regardless of what actions Israel takes, Hamas likely would expand the range of attacks beyond the south, which they have been regularly peppering since June 12, when Hamas terrorists abducted and murdered three Israeli teens.
Officials at the meeting were said to be discussing situations in which Tel Aviv and other cities in the coastal region came under attack. A full 70% of Israel's population and 80% of its industry is estimated to be in the region.