ATLANTA — If you've taken a look at the Atlanta Police Department's social media lately, you've likely seen a "Public Safety Alert" regarding the recent attack from Iran on Israel.
Officers said they are "actively monitoring the developments." However, it's important to note that they list "no credible threats to our city."
The statement merely said police are "working closely with law enforcement partners, religious institutions, and community leaders to ensure the safety of everyone."
What is happening in Israel
Booms and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem early Sunday after Iran launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel.
The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation was swift, with France saying that “Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation.” Britain called the attacks “reckless.”
Israel on Sunday said it thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory. Regional tensions were high amid fears of an Israeli counter-strike that could fuel further escalation.
U.S. President Joe Biden said he would convene a meeting Sunday of the Group of Seven advanced democracies “to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.” The U.S. made clear it would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.
Iran had vowed revenge since an April 1 airstrike in Syria killed two Iranian generals inside an Iranian consular building. Iran accused Israel of being behind the attack. Israel hasn’t commented on it.
Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.
Almost immediately after the war erupted, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, began attacking Israel’s northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel.
Other precautions in Atlanta
"We know things across the ocean can affect what's happening here in Atlanta, so we'll just continue to work with law enforcement," said Brian Davis, community security director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. "We have been asking our facilities to stay open and operational."
He said they prepare for security incidents year-round with extra precautions and training sessions, regardless of safety alerts such as this one. The only thing he is changing is increased contact with law enforcement so he can alert their partners of any potential safety threats.
"We work with facilities to harden their facilities with cameras, gates and other security, techniques to just keep their place of worship or schools safer," he said. "We have asked people to just stay vigilant. If you see something, say something. Make sure that you are reporting anything to local law enforcement or federal law enforcement."
Azka Mahmood, executive director of CAIR Georgia, is offering similar guidance.
"For the Muslim community, we are just coming out of Ramadan and celebrations. We already had beefed up security measures, as we normally do whenever we have higher traffic in our prayer spaces," she said. "We have not heard or seen any suspicious activity. We're not aware of any threats. And certainly the Muslim community in Georgia has not altered any of their activities for sure."
She said Muslim community centers have increased security throughout the years because of various threats and attacks. This public safety alert could add to that.
"We do appreciate that city officials and the police are taking notice of the situation. We do hope that something like this does not actually lead to increased surveillance of American Muslims," she said. "Unfortunately, we have a history of that with different police departments in different states. Barring that additional surveillance, we're happy."