Daijiworld Media Network- Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Aug 29: Learning lessons from the Hamas assault of 2023 and this summer’s 12-day war with Iran, Israel is working on redesigning and strengthening residential safe rooms, which have long been a critical line of defence against missile and rocket attacks.

At a desert testing range, Israeli engineers are blasting existing bomb shelter models to study their weaknesses and create sturdier prototypes. Plans include thicker concrete walls, stronger steel reinforcements, and pre-wiring for emergency radio communication.

Known locally as the “mamad”, safe rooms became mandatory in new homes after the 1991 Gulf War. While many Israelis once questioned the added expense, demand has surged after Iranian missiles struck Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem in June. Web searches for safe rooms reportedly doubled after the October 7 Hamas attack and climbed further following the Iranian strikes.

According to property data firm Madlan, homes featuring safe rooms now command higher prices in Tel Aviv, already one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets. Figures from the Israel Builders Association indicate that since last year, the number of homes with a safe room has risen by nearly 50 percent.

Despite saving countless lives, the shelters showed shortcomings. Six Israelis were killed inside safe rooms during Iranian missile strikes, while on October 7, Hamas gunmen breached several such spaces, abducting or killing occupants.

To counter such threats, the military now plans to reinforce doors with 2 cm of steel, resistant to bullets and forced entry. These upgraded doors can be locked from the inside and are expected to cost about $2,000. A private safe room, meanwhile, can cost up to $75,000, though subsidies and municipal tax relief help offset costs in high-risk areas.

Parliament recently passed a regulation allowing shelters to be expanded by six square meters, with space for en-suite toilets to enable residents to remain protected for longer durations. “This is an historic decision, which I hope we will not need to avail ourselves of,” said coalition lawmaker Yaakov Asher.

With Israel’s air defence systems intercepting nearly 85% of Iranian missiles but still leaving gaps, authorities believe fortified safe rooms will remain an indispensable shield for civilians in future conflicts.