Sirens blared across Israel in the early hours of Friday morning, signaling the start of a state of emergency in Israel as IAF airstrikes against Iran early Friday led to a significant Iranian response.
The alarms also signaled the start of a social media blitz by Israeli citizens that has led to some of the best tweets, puns, and memes The Jerusalem Post has ever seen.
Israelis took to social media to vent, express fear, and try to laugh instead of crying as they were thrust into a frightening new reality.
As @Arbel2025 put it on X/Twitter, "Twitter is at its best when we are in existential danger."
Here are some of the Post's favorite posts of the past few days:
Some memes and posts have been edited for clarity or for Hebrew language puns to make sense in English. In all cases, the spirit and meaning of the post have been carefully preserved.
Some posts focused on the name of the new operation - Am K'Lavi (a nation of lions) or in English, Operation Rising Lion:
1. "The name of the new operation: Rising Mandates," said X user @costa1black poking fun at public discourse regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's possible alterior motives for the preemptive strike on Iran.
2. "The goal of the operation: To permanently remove the threat of elections," @Erezbh echoed in a similar post.
3. "A strike to preempt elections," @HarevenYoav also said.
Sirens, despite no incoming attack at the time
Many on social media made fun of the Home Front Command's decision to wake the entire country with an alarm in the early hours of Friday morning to prepare for a possible Iranian retaliation, despite there being no incoming attack at that time.
4. @JonathanShalev shared a picture of Defense Minister Israel Katz smirking, along with the caption "Hey, I wasn't sure you were awake to see what a stud I am, so I pressed the button that makes noise so that you would wake up."
5. "Fair, it was a genius move - the siren to wake everyone up before they left home at 4 a.m. to go hiking, the move saved many lives," @oftopic_ remarked sarcastically.
6. @omerbabai described a conversation he thought probably took place at Home Front Command HQ the night of the strikes:
"'Put out the special notification, Shimi. The extreme one that says we're all going to die.' Shimi: 'Finally.'"
Confusion caused by Home Front Command
Many also commented on the confusion caused by the new system of alerts used by the Home Front Command in the middle of the night.
7. @Noa_angel1 tweeted, "The Home Front Command explains: There is no need to stay in the shelter now, but you must ensure that everyone is currently sh**ing themselves with panic and exhaustion right now, and it will be ok, we think."
8. "Everyone obey the instructions of the Home Front Command and panic," @Appelboy7 tweeted.
9. X. "These sirens could have been an email," @ohevmarva said.
Many social media users thought about Israeli flag carrier EL AL, joking about the impact the strikes would have on the likelihood of other airlines continuing to fly to Israel and what that would mean for EL AL's bottom line.
10. "El Al is stopping all its flights that are priced under ten thousand dollars," one X/Twitter user joked.
11. Another tweeted a video of a young man partying with the caption "The CEO of EL AL right now."
Making fun of Israeli politicians during a time of war
Many poked fun at various Israeli politicians.
12. Commenting on Transportation Minister Miri Regev's Monday statement that Israelis stuck abroad should "enjoy," @UziGazuzi tweeted "Miri Antoinette," with a picture of the minister photoshopped into a Marie Antoinette gown and hairdo.
13. "Boys will preemptively strike Iran and declare a special emergency situation on the Home Front in all of Israel rather than go to therapy," @doron_shabti quipped.
14. "It will be so awkward for the Iranians when they realize we are a proxy of Qatar," @GuyOrdever said, referencing the recent Qatargate affair.
Israelis react to the Jewish State's ability to pull off the attack
Others laughed at the Start-Up Nation's ability to pull off such an incredible attack, while not always succeeding to the same degree in other areas.
15. "Paving the way from Israel to Tehran: a day and a half.
Connecting the light rail tracks from Allenby to Eben Gvirol: 17 years if there are no delays," @BarkolAmir joked.
16. "A Country whose application for predicting when missiles from an enemy state will land is more precise than the applications for predicting when buses will arrive at the nearest station," @LoMevin said.
And some of the best posts don't fit into any one category:
17. "Will I understand Shahab-3 if they haven't fired 1 and 2 at me?" @Chenfeller asked.
18. "A Bar on Allenby [Street] was hit and only the pride flags were left intact. A proof of divine intervention, how great you are, God," @Chelesuni shared, with a picture of the destroyed bar, and the gaily flying flags.
And our favorite of all from user @MauricioLapchik:
19. "Hey guys, we are the collateral damage now."