While missiles fall across Israel and the world focuses on the physical devastation, a quieter but equally urgent crisis is unfolding behind closed doors — in bedrooms, bomb shelters, and overburdened mental health clinics — in Israel. The war is exacting a profound psychological toll on Israeli society, with lasting impacts on adults, families, children and the country’s long-term resilience. Though less visible than the rubble, this emotional and mental health strain threatens Israel’s long-term security just as much as anything on the battlefield.

Israel is in the middle of a national trauma crisis. And despite decades of conflict, we are still woefully unprepared for its consequences. The most recent missile strikes from Iranian are not the start of something new. They are a brutal continuation of what began on Oct. 7, 2023. A recent longitudinal study found that as of March, 75% of Israelis living near conflict zones were experiencing clinically significant symptoms of PTSD, depression or anxiety. These are not short-term reactions. These are early warning signs and indicators of chronic psychological distress — conditions that, if left untreated, can silently hollow out a society from the inside.

When psychiatric hospitals began discharging patients last week due to inadequate shelter space, families were suddenly thrust into the role of emergency caregivers, untrained and unsupported. Schools shuttered........

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