Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at Israel on Saturday, in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
U.S. forces downed some of the Iran-launched drones flying toward Israel, according to U.S. officials.
One woman spoke to NBC6 as she experienced the horror up close in Israel.
"We just started seeing hundreds of drones, missiles flying over our heads," said Yael Levontin, from Jewish National Fund-USA.
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Levontin said she worries most about her young children, who are trying to grasp this new reality.
"They're scared and I just have to explain to them sometimes this is what we have here," Levontin said.
Meanwhile, communities across South Florida are already taking action, with several police departments almost immediately increasing its presence at certain locations.
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North Miami Beach Police Department was one of the first Saturday to let residents know that it was monitoring the situation in the Middle East and had already increased patrol around religious institutions and neighborhoods across the city.
Miami Beach Police released a similar statement on Saturday night, noting that there had been no credible threats and that police presence has also increased at places of worship and schools.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed her continued support for the people of Israel and condemned Iran's actions.
Levine Cava is the first Jewish mayor of Miami-Dade.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24) also released a statement following Iran's attack, emphasizing the need to support Israel.
“We must stand with Israel, our strongest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East and support its defense against adversaries who have called for the destruction of Israel and America," Wilson said. "We stand with Israel because when Israel is strong, America is strong.”
Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, Consul General of Israel in Miami, spoke at a press conference Sunday, condemning Iran’s revenge attack on Israel — and claiming Iran’s goal was to create havoc.
He was joined by the Deputy Consul General of Israel. They emphasized the need to hold Iran accountable for the attack.
