WANA (Jul 09) – Twelve days of direct and unprecedented fighting between Iran and Israel—despite Tel Aviv officials’ efforts to declare a “successful conclusion”—have left deep and troubling consequences inside the occupied territories. Damaged cities and neighborhoods, waves of internal displacement and migration, the departure of foreign academic staff, and a sharp rise in mental health disorders all paint a different postwar reality, pointing to a serious social and psychological crisis in Israeli society.

 

1. Residents’ distrust of security; leaving homes in Tel Aviv

The dense urban districts of Tel Aviv, which suffered the heaviest damage from Iranian missile strikes, continue to face a crisis in getting residents to return. Many families are refusing to go back to their homes, and temporary shelters and emergency housing are crowded with significant numbers of internally displaced people. Local authorities and relief agencies are struggling to rebuild the lost public trust in the notion of “home security.”

 

2. Wave of foreign academic and scientific staff leaving

One of the crisis’s most important and strategic consequences is the departure of foreign scientists and researchers from Israel. Prestigious institutions, including the Weizmann Institute and Ben-Gurion University, have reported that several international researchers have not only left the country but also declared they have no plans to return. This wave of departures is seen as a serious warning sign, especially for Israel’s advanced scientific and technological sectors, threatening talent recruitment and the global standing of its academic institutions.

45 laboratories at the Weizmann Institute were destroyed in Iranian missile attacks, social media / WANA News Agency

45 laboratories at the Weizmann Institute were destroyed in Iranian missile attacks, social media / WANA News Agency

3. Continued internal displacement

Despite the official end of hostilities, over 25,000 residents from targeted areas remain displaced and without permanent housing. Emergency shelters and temporary facilities are at or near capacity in many locations, while reconstruction planning faces significant financial and logistical obstacles.

 

4. Scale of destruction in Tel Aviv

Reports and published images confirm visible destruction and damage across more than one-third of Tel Aviv’s urban area. Although military censorship and media restrictions seek to obscure the exact scale, local sources and satellite imagery describe the devastation as unprecedented. This level of destruction will pose enormous challenges for urban reconstruction and result in significant economic costs.

The scale of destruction caused by just one missile hitting Tel Aviv/WANA News Agency

The scale of destruction caused by just one missile hitting Tel Aviv/WANA News Agency

5. Mental health crisis and severe psychological disorders

Beyond the physical damage, the 12-day war has triggered a wave of psychological crises in Israeli society. Psychologists and treatment centers report a sharp increase in cases of stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and severe mental health disorders. Schools and community centers are struggling with growing difficulties in managing children’s and families’ mental well-being, with experts warning of the long-term consequences of these harms.

 

Although Israeli leaders are trying to project a message of “deterrence” and “victory” to domestic and international audiences, the reality on the ground after the 12-day war tells a different story. From residents’ loss of trust in security and mass displacement to the departure of scientific staff and a mental health crisis, Israeli society is facing deep and costly wounds that will pose a serious, long-term challenge to manage and heal.