Former Minnesota state Sen. Paul Anderson spent several years under the State Capitol dome. Last Saturday, he saw firsthand what life is like under Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defense system.

Anderson was in Israel with a group from the American Israel Education Foundation to learn more about the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7. He got more of an education than he anticipated.

“It was a real sobering experience and then Saturday night happened,” Anderson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS on Wednesday, 36 hours after he returned to Minnesota.

Anderson was in his hotel after a farewell dinner with his group just hours before they were supposed to fly out of Israel. They had been warned an attack was possible. 

“When the siren went off, I first jumped out of my bed and was in full clothing because they had told us if anything happens, you’re going to need to move,” he says.

Anderson jumped out of bed and spent just a few seconds looking out his window. What he saw stunned him. Hundreds of cruise missiles and drones flying overhead being intercepted by Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defense system. He then ran to a hotel stairwell that doubles as a safety bunker.

Images of what he saw are still fresh in his mind. “This isn’t like a spectacular ‘ooh and ahh’ situation. This is, ‘oh crap!’ So you’ve got the sirens going off. The explosions going off. The building shaking a little bit and it’s time to go!”

Although Anderson was too busy running for his life to take pictures or video, one member of his group shot some video of the attack. He says it is remarkable to see the “Iron Dome” in action as it protected Israel from suffering any casualties.

He says it’s also remarkable to witness the resilience of the Israeli people who live with the idea that so many enemies want to destroy their country.

“I don’t know what they truly go through other than to know that on a daily basis, you’re just trying to survive and thrive,” he says. “At the same time, the enemy truly cherishes death and martyrdom and you cherish life and survival. That’s really sobering.”

This was Anderson’s second trip to Israel. He was also there in 2008 as part of a trade mission when he was on the staff of Gov. Tim Pawlenty.