Missiles, sirens, bunkers: How 7,000 workers from Telangana, Andhra are battling war jitters in Israel

• Around 7,000 Telugu workers in Israel face daily missile threats
• Many work as caregivers, construction workers amid rising tensions
• Indian embassy urges caution amid frequent siren alerts.

Did our AI summary help?

For thousands of workers from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh living in Israel, the daily rhythm of life has been brutally reduced to a singular, urgent response: the moment sirens wail, they must sprint to the nearest bunker.

With missiles streaking across the sky and alerts sounding with unnerving frequency, the community of roughly 7,000 people from the two Telugu states is navigating one of the most tense periods in recent memory. According to members of the Israel Telangana Association cited by TOI, the cohort includes about 2,000 from Telangana and 5,000 from Andhra Pradesh, hailing predominantly from districts like Nizamabad, Rajanna Sircilla and Jagtial.

The majority are employed as caregivers and construction workers, drawn by salaries of 5,000 to 6,000 shekels a month (approximately Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.35 lakh). They are part of a larger Indian contingent in Israel, which has swelled under a bilateral framework agreement signed in 2022.

Official data indicates that over 20,000 Indians are currently employed in the country's construction sector alone, including 6,700 who arrived in 2025 to fill labour gaps following the Gaza war. An additional 18,000 to 20,000 Indians work as caregivers, catering to Israel's growing elderly population.

For those who have made Israel their home for years, the current escalation feels different. Soma Ravi, a native of Nizamabad and former president of the Israel Telangana Association, has lived in Ramat Gan for a decade. This past weekend, the reality of the conflict struck perilously close to home.

According to Ravi, as cited by TOI, earlier escalations involved groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, but the current situation involves a powerful country launching ballistic missiles, which has left people more worried and extra careful. He recounted how a missile landed just a couple of kilometres from his residence on Saturday evening.

The personal toll of the conflict extends beyond fear; Ravi is now stranded due to airspace closures and is set to miss his daughter's wedding in the US, scheduled for March 15.

Life for the Telugu workers has been upended. Daily routines have tightened into a cautious new normal. While supermarkets and pharmacies remain open to allow for essential supplies, offices, schools and malls have been shuttered. Public gatherings are strictly limited, with outdoor events capped at 30 people, even as bunkers designed to hold 50-60 people fill up rapidly during alerts.

Gattu Naveen, another Nizamabad native who has lived in Petah Tikva for six years, described the harrowing routine imposed by the constant threat. Naveen was cited as saying that as soon as a missile is launched, sirens go off and workers are asked to move to bunkers immediately, with separate local alarms also ringing. He highlighted the severe strain on families, pointing out that the need to constantly move to shelter is especially challenging for households with children, the elderly and pregnant women.

In Ashkelon, a city that has faced significant bombardment, Elle Prasad from Rajanna Sircilla has lived through 18 years in Israel but admitted the speed of the recent events has caught many off guard. Prasad reportedly observed that vehicle movement is limited and people step out only for essential work, capturing the tense atmosphere of a city on edge.

The Telangana and AP workers are clustered in several key areas, with significant populations in Ramat Gan and various neighbourhoods around Tel Aviv, as well as a smaller but exposed group in Ashkelon. As they navigate the daily ordeal of sirens and shelters, the community is relying on advisories from the Indian embassy, which has consistently urged all Indian nationals to exercise vigilance and extreme caution.