TEL AVIV – An extraordinary sandstorm struck southern Israel on Tuesday, turning the sky a reddish-orange hue.
According to NDTV, the phenomenon was accompanied by strong winds that battered desert areas, including the Negev Desert and the city of Beersheba.
Several viral videos on social media showed thick clouds of dust engulfing the affected regions.
One of the impacted areas was a military base located in the Negev Desert.
In one video, Israeli soldiers could be seen struggling to close the base’s gates due to the strong winds.
Previously, meteorologist Lior Sudri had issued warnings about severe weather conditions in southern Israel.
"During the day, strong winds will blow, heavy haze is expected and a sandstorm will hit southern Israel," he said.
Due to the extreme weather, the Israeli government decided to cancel the official celebration of its 77th Independence Day.