Safety in Tel Aviv: sirens, shelters and what the FCDO advice says

Day to day, Tel Aviv is a lively, busy city where people go to work, the beach and the pub. But it's also a place where everyone knows where their nearest shelter is, and newcomers need to learn the drill in their first week, not their first siren.

The short version

• When we checked on 7 November 2026, the FCDO travel advice for Israel was still current at that date and last updated on 27 October 2026. It said "there is a risk of rocket and drone attacks throughout Israel" [1].
• The FCDO does not advise against travel to Tel Aviv. Its warnings against all or all but essential travel cover Gaza, areas near the Gaza border, parts of the West Bank and parts of the far north [1].
• In Tel Aviv-Yafo you have 90 seconds to reach a protected space when a siren sounds, and you should wait 10 minutes before coming out unless told otherwise [3].
• The best place to be is a mamad (a reinforced room in your flat), a mamak (a protected space on your floor) or a shelter [1][3].
• Save these numbers: 104 for the Home Front Command, 106 for the city council, 100 for the police, 101 for an ambulance, and +972 (0)3 725 1222 for the British Embassy [2][3][4].

What the FCDO advice says

The FCDO's travel advice is where most Brits start, and insurers look at it too. When we checked on 7 November 2026, the page was still current at that date, and its latest update, on 27 October 2026, added information about regional tensions [1].

The key points were:

• Where not to go. The FCDO advised against all travel to Gaza, within 500 metres of the Gaza border, the Tulkarm, Jenin and Tubas governorates in the West Bank (except Route 90), and parts of northern Israel and the Golan Heights north of Routes 89 and 91. It advised against all but essential travel to the rest of the West Bank, with some exceptions including East Jerusalem and Bethlehem [1]. Tel Aviv isn't in either category.
• Rockets and drones. The FCDO said the frequency of attacks had decreased, but that "there is a risk of rocket and drone attacks throughout Israel", and that fragments from intercepted missiles may fall [1].
• Regional tensions. It described the wider region as "deeply unpredictable" and warned that air and land borders could close at short notice, with possible disruption at Ben Gurion airport [1].
• Terrorism. It said "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Israel and Palestine", and listed past incidents in the Tel Aviv area [1].
• Shelters. It said "The best option is a residential protected space (Mamad, Mamak or Maman) or a communal shelter", and told people to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command [1].
• Insurance. It warned that travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice [1].

The advice changes, sometimes overnight. Read the live page yourself and sign up for the FCDO's email alerts for Israel.

Sirens and the Home Front Command

The Home Front Command (Pikud HaOref) is the part of the Israel Defense Forces that runs civil defence. It sets the warning time for each area, issues the alerts and tells people when they can leave shelter. Its hotline is 104, and residents can look up their address on its website to find their warning zone and the time they have to take cover [3].

You'll get warnings in three ways:

• Sirens across the city.
• Phone alerts. The Home Front Command's official app sends alerts for your exact area and works in English, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian [6]. Install it on day one and allow notifications and location.
• TV, radio and social media, which the city council uses for instructions during an emergency [3].

The Home Front Command website may not load from outside Israel, so download the app and note the hotline before you fly.

The 90-second rule: what to do when the siren sounds

The Tel Aviv-Yafo council's instructions are [3]:

1. Get to a protected space within 90 seconds. That's the warning time for Tel Aviv-Yafo.
2. Indoors: go to your mamad or protected space and close all doors and windows. If you don't have one, go to the stairwell or an inner room with no windows.
3. Top floor without a protected space: go down one floor in a three-storey building, or two floors in a taller one, and wait in the stairwell.
4. Outdoors: go into the nearest building. If there isn't one, lie down and protect your head with your hands.
5. In a car: pull over, get out and get to a building or shelter. If you can't, lie down and cover your head. If you can't get out, stop at the side of the road and wait 10 minutes.
6. Wait 10 minutes before leaving, unless the Home Front Command says otherwise.
7. Don't touch fragments or anything that's fallen. Keep people away and call the police.

On a bus, the driver stops and opens the doors and passengers crouch below window level. On a train, the driver slows down and passengers get below the windows [5].

Mamad, mamak, miklat: the shelters explained

The mamad is the gold standard, and it's often the spare bedroom or study. Older Bauhaus blocks in the White City usually don't have one, so residents rely on the building's shelter, the stairwell or a public shelter.

Public shelters are generally locked in normal times and opened by the council when the Home Front Command tells it to. The city's 106 hotline can tell you which public shelters and protected car parks are near your home, and the council publishes a shelter map [3].

Renting? Ask whether the flat has a mamad and how far away the nearest shelter is, and walk the route before you sign. A flat without one is cheaper for a reason. Our guide to renting in Tel Aviv has more.

Getting ready at home

The council asks residents to prepare their protected space as follows [3]:

• A way of getting updates: a radio, TV or phone, plus a power bank.
• Water: about 4 litres per person per day, for three days.
• Sealed food: tinned food and snacks.
• A torch with spare batteries, a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.
• Numbers: family, neighbours and emergency services, written down.
• Copies of documents: passports, medical records and prescriptions.
• Something to do: books and games, especially for children.

Teach children and older relatives what to do and practise it. If you have a pet, decide who grabs it.

Emergency numbers and the embassy

The British Embassy at 192 Hayarkon Street is open by appointment only, and it prioritises emergencies and vulnerable people. If your passport is lost or damaged and you need to travel urgently, you can apply online for an emergency travel document [4]. Our guide to consular help from the FCDO explains what the embassy can and can't do.

Living with it

Most Brits who've been here a while are matter-of-fact about the alerts. They know the drill, the app is on their phone, and they've had a chat with the neighbours about the stairwell. A few habits help:

• Check your insurance. Health, home and travel policies may treat war and terrorism differently, so read the exclusions.
• Keep your passport valid with plenty of time left, in case flights change at short notice.
• Register as an overseas voter and keep your UK details up to date. See our guide to votes for life.
• Look after yourself. Repeated alerts are stressful, especially for children. The council lists support services in English, including trauma and emotional first aid lines [3]. Our guide to the emotional move is worth a read.
• Talk to people who've done it. Ask in our community group for Brits in Israel how others handle the first few alerts.

Sources

1. GOV.UK: Israel travel advice (still current at 7 November 2026, updated 27 October 2026), including the summary, warnings and insurance, and safety and security pages
2. GOV.UK: Israel travel advice, getting help
3. Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality: Residents' preparation for states of emergency and Security and Emergency
4. GOV.UK: British Embassy Tel Aviv (checked 7 November 2026)
5. Tel Aviv University: Shelters and safe spaces
6. Israel Business Guide: Red alert apps in Israel (7 April 2026)

Keep reading

• Moving to Tel Aviv as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Renting in Tel Aviv
• Shabbat in Tel Aviv: what's open and getting around
• Consular help from the FCDO