Across the Bay Area, Israelis who are part of their homeland's active reserve military are being called home to join the fight, including college students now faced with making difficult decisions.
Tamir, a Stanford University student and active reserve in the Israeli military, has been called to serve and is considering returning to Israel.
"I cannot be so far away from everyone I love," he said. "I feel like I belong there and I need to support my parents, my family, my friends, to be a part of this, but also it feels like willingly walking into an inferno."
Tamir said his family in Israel is safe, but he's worried about his friends who are among those fighting as part of the Israeli military.
"Many people that I know of, that I knew very well have already died," he said.
Tamir's girlfriend, Noam Tsabar, is also worried about her family in Israel, especially her brother who is in the military.
"It's hard," she said. "It's like all day looking at the phone and hoping not to get a message."
Tsabar works for the Jewish Agency in Sunnyvale and is now helping children from Israeli families cope with the terrorist attacks.
"It's hard for them to even go to school and be with their friends who don't really know and understand what's going on with their family back home," she said.
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Tamir, who is studying physics and engineering, said he has been so distraught that he hasn't been able to attend classes.
For now, he is too focused on making a choice: whether to stay and study or join the fight.
"I am worried," he said. "I am scared. I'm a human. This is a very hard situation to be in."
