Tehran vs. Tel Aviv: Civil Defense Readiness Under Missile Threat

With escalating Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, a stark contrast is coming into focus: Tehran, a city of over 14 million, is alarmingly underprepared for aerial conflict.

Unlike Tel Aviv, where about 90% of residents have access to fortified shelters or safe rooms, mandated by Israeli law since the 1990s, Iran’s capital lacks basic protective infrastructure.

During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Tehran constructed hundreds of public shelters, but most have since been dismantled, repurposed, or fallen into disrepair. Today, residents often seek refuge in basements or stairwells, with no coordinated emergency plan or functioning public alert system in place.

Meanwhile, even in well-prepared Tel Aviv, the current conflict has exposed logistical weaknesses: several shelters have been found locked or inadequately equipped, forcing some civilians into makeshift alternatives like parking garages.

This dual reality raises critical questions about urban preparedness in modern conflict zones. As tensions escalate and airstrikes continue, the lives of millions hang on infrastructure decisions made decades ago.