Former USC Basketball Player Reflects on Challenging Times While Sheltering in Israel

Hapoel Lev Jerusalem Player Shelters Amid Rising Tensions in Iran

Destiny Littleton, a professional basketball player for Hapoel Lev Jerusalem, sheltered with her teammates and neighbors this weekend as Israel partnered with the United States in military operations against Iran.

Littleton, a former University of Southern California athlete who also played four seasons at South Carolina, has been living in Israel since joining Hapoel Lev Jerusalem in November. With the airspace closed, she spoke to reporters on Monday from a teammate’s apartment, recounting the unsettling experience that began with alarming sirens on Saturday morning.

"This was my first experience with the emergency sirens," Littleton remarked. "I was on the phone and thought, ‘Are these ambulance sirens or police sirens?’ When I opened the door, I realized these were signals that something was wrong."

After receiving a call from her team manager explaining the situation, she was directed to a neighbor’s safety bunker. Soon, a notification popped up on her phone advising her to prepare for possible danger.

"Whenever the sirens go off, you have to find shelter, either in a bunker or a safe space," Littleton said. "This has been the protocol here for the last few days."

Through social media videos, Littleton captured sounds of explosions and missiles overhead, documenting her experience with teammates and neighbors. Reflecting on the frequency of the alerts that weekend, she noted, "It became a point where we were just like, ‘Oh, there’s a siren.’ Our bodies were just kind of numb to it all. In that moment, I realized this is real."

By Monday afternoon, Littleton observed a decrease in the siren alerts. "Today has actually been pretty calm. We had a night of quietness, and no alarms woke us up," she said. However, she added, "I’m safe in the sense that nothing has happened to me, but it’s hard to feel 100-percent safe when I’m in an active war zone."

The military operations over the weekend led to significant consequences, including the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has intensified its attacks on Israel and throughout the Middle East. Israeli officials reported that eleven people lost their lives during the assaults, while four U.S. service members were also killed.

President Trump remarked on Monday that the conflict with Iran could extend for a month or longer.