India, March 2 -- "If you hear a siren, it means there is a missile overhead," Israel-based Dr Suchismita M Baron explains. For Baron, the last two days have brought the sound of many sirens, as she and her family confront the reality of retaliatory drone and missile strikes launched by Iran following joint military action by the United States and Israel.

Speaking to HT.com over a video call from her home in Be'er Sheva, Israel, Baron said that as a mother to two young children, she is worried about what the future holds. "As a person, however, I want to tell everyone to be strong. Don't be scared. Israel will protect its citizens," she said.

Born in India, Baron has spent the last decade in Israel. A scientist with expertise in immunol...