Residents in an Israeli city launched a protest Sunday against plans to deploy an Iron Dome air defense battery near residential towers and educational institutions, saying the move would disrupt daily life and frighten children.
The residents, who live close to the city center, said they learned of the plan only by chance after noticing ground-leveling work in the area.
“We saw earthworks being carried out, and only then did we realize they were preparing to place an Iron Dome battery there,” residents said. “It’s right next to residential buildings and close to schools and kindergartens. Every interception creates terrifying noise, there’s concern about interceptor debris falling, and we’re also worried about radiation from the radar.”
They said placing a defense system in the heart of a residential neighborhood was unreasonable.
“There are many young couples and small children here,” one resident said. “Why should we live with this nightmare and constant fear? There are plenty of locations far from homes and dense population centers.”
The residents said they have contacted the municipality and the mayor and claimed city officials were also surprised to learn of the work. They have begun collecting signatures on a petition and said they are prepared to take legal action if necessary.
“We understand the security need,” they said, “but why put it right next to homes?”
The municipality said it supports strengthening regional air defenses but acknowledged that the initial site chosen by the IDF was not coordinated with the city. In a statement, the municipality said the mayor and senior city officials worked over the weekend with the military and the Defense Ministry to change the location.
The city said alternative sites have now been submitted for review by defense officials and expressed confidence that security and operational considerations would support relocating the battery to a site that better balances defense needs with minimizing disruption to residents’ daily lives.