Israel plans 10-minute warning to counter Iranian missile threat

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced plans to issue a minimum 10-minute warning prior to any anticipated Iranian missile counterattack, aiming to provide civilians with crucial time to seek shelter.

However, officials caution that intelligence uncertainties necessitate remaining close to safe areas at all times, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

According to IDF sources, the Home Front Command will alert the public at least ten minutes before any Iranian retaliation targeting Israel’s territory in response to recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. In some instances, the military hopes to provide even earlier warnings by detecting preliminary intelligence indicators signaling an impending attack, as successfully accomplished during the Islamic Republic’s missile assault in October 2024.

Nonetheless, officials emphasize that the effectiveness of early warnings remains uncertain, reliant on complex intelligence assessments. Therefore, the IDF urges residents to remain in or near their homes to ensure rapid access to designated safe zones within the warning window.

The IDF also acknowledged that a recent nationwide preemptive alert was partly intended to compensate for a prior decision to limit public alerts, which was initially made to preserve operational surprise during Israel’s offensive against Tehran. While the early warning caused disruption among citizens, many of whom criticized being unnecessarily awakened, military leaders maintained that the risk of a large-scale Iranian missile strike was imminent and real.

Officials expressed particular concern that public complacency could delay protective actions, noting that, like Iran itself, many Israeli citizens remained skeptical about the immediacy of an Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic.

By Vafa Guliyeva