As missiles streak across the skies of the Middle East and the war between the US, Israel and Iran shows no signs of slowing, anxiety is mounting among Indian workers stranded in Israeli cities. Many of those workers, however, have no intention of leaving.
Among them is Dalia, a resident of Karnataka who has been living and working in Israel for the past three years. Speaking to NDTV, she described how her experience of the conflict has evolved since she first arrived.
"Israel means hope, and it is with this hope of better days that we live here. We have to follow advisories. When rushing to bomb shelters, we have been instructed to carry our passports along," Dalia said.
She recalled that the sound of sirens terrified her when she first got there, but that she has since grown accustomed to them. Her parents, who once called twice a day to check on her, have also settled into a degree of calm.
She noted that some Indians have started filming videos of missiles fired from Iran, which she warned is dangerous. Dalia also shared that while her parents used to call twice a day to check on her well-being, they are now more at ease.
"Indians there do not want to leave. They intend to stay because they feel happy, safe, and protected," she added.
Israel, backed by US military forces, launched strikes against Iran on 28 February. Tehran retaliated with strikes on Tel Aviv and on Middle Eastern nations hosting American military bases, and has repeatedly threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital corridors for global oil supply.
Iran said on Wednesday it was prepared for a long war of attrition that would "destroy" the world economy, after firing on two commercial ships.
Ali Fadavi, an adviser to the Revolutionary Guards' commander-in-chief, told state television that the US and Israel "must consider the possibility that they will be engaged in a long-term war of attrition that will destroy the entire American economy and the world economy."
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said the war would end "soon," arguing there was little left for American forces to target inside Iran.
