But Israelis are used to war and this time it’s no different. In Herzliya, an affluent city just north of Tel Aviv, people were heading to the beach to enjoy the sunny weather.

In Herzliya – one of Israel’s most luxurious neighbourhoods, known for its beautiful beaches, high-tech industry and embassies – people were heading to the sea to enjoy the sunny weather.

At a local cafe, people milled around chatting and drinking coffee. Sharon, from the city of Ramat Gan, not far from Herzliya, was sitting on a bench with his dog.

He said he was not worried: “I trust my country. I am not afraid. It will be all right.”

Israelis are as unsure as everyone else about whether Tehran will actually strike Israel as the US has been warning.

“I don’t know if Iran will attack. Even my uncle, who is a captain in the army, told us yesterday at Shabbat dinner that he also didn’t know,” Sharon said.

For Sharon, the focus should still be on Gaza and getting the 130 or so hostages out as soon as possible. “If they [Hamas] want 100 prisoners in exchange for 100 hostages, we should give it to them. I don’t care. Imagine if it was your sister,” he said.