Missiles Over My Head, Over My Country

On April 13, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel. Later, when the dust would settle, a few thing would become glaringly obvious. 

First, Iran had fired over 300 rockets including cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in an unprecedented flagrant violation of international law.

Over my home, over my head..April 13, 2024

Second, Israel and an international coalition shot down 99% of those rockets. Yes, indeed. A stunning percentage and a warning to Iran. I live in a city...this was an attack on innocent people. When a missile is fired at a country, the country that fires that missile is violating international law. Whether that missile hits an open field, is shot down by advanced technology and very well trained soldiers, or whether that missile lands, God forbid, in a hospital, a school, or wherever, it is still a crime against humanity.

This instant, when I looked up and saw missiles flying over my head, over my country combined with the sudden air raid siren indicating I had seconds to find shelter, will remain forever in my mind. I watch the video and marvel at how exact the timing was. 

My children were in university - in caravans that offer no protection for missiles. I begged them to come home and they did. The hour it takes for them to travel seemed to last forever. Iran had already fired cruise missiles and explosive drones. The battle was taking place over Jordan and what would get through would endanger our lives.

I heard explosions but no siren...I went outside as I dialed my children. When my daughter answered., I asked, almost screaming, "where are you???"

"Right here," she answered and indeed I saw the car pull to a stop and quickly back into the parking space. Hurry, I whispered to myself as I looked up and began taking the video you see above.

A second later, the siren started. You can here my son say, "Yerushalayim" - Jerusalem

And me say, "siren" - as if the wailing sound wasn't obvious to all.

"Go, go, go, go" said my daughter as I closed the video and we ran to the bomb shelter. 

Over my head. Over my country.

What Iran did deserved a greater response than we gave, but we acquiesced to the demands of the world and simply, elegantly tapped them on their noses so that they knew, as we do, that we could do much worse.

The decision was theirs and now they've made it. Or maybe not. More than two weeks have passed since someone rightly removed a great evil from this world. Ismail Haniya rests in pieces and though we can't know for sure what nation bravely gave the gift of removing him to the world, Iran has decided Israel will pay the price. 

 

And so we wait...to see if soon, again, missiles will fly over my head, over my country.