Israel has unveiled a new underground shelter, said to be the most advanced public underground bomb shelter which can accommodate up to 1,600 people, it has been reported.

The new facility is a parking lot, four floors underneath the plaza outside Israel's Habima national theatre and is considered the most sophisticated bomb shelter, according to an Associated Press report.

The shelter has its entrance at the pavement outside the theatre with sliding doors and automatic metal handrails. Air filters would be making the air breathable in case of a chemical attack.

It was built as part of the renovation of the Habima theatre and was completed by the end of 2011.

"Many parking lots in the country can become shelters, and we want to copy from Habima to other places," AP quoted Roi Flyshman, spokesman for the government's civil defence ministry, as saying.

The move draws significance in the light of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

Israel has already indicated that it would not be waiting for US approval if it wanted to strike Iran.

On the other hand, the pro-Iran lobbies warn that any strike against Iran would unleash a full-fledged war beyond the control of Israel.

"America knows that if there is a war on Iran, this means that the whole region will be set alight, with no limit to the fires," Reuters quoted Hezbollah deputy Sheikh Naim Qassem as saying.

Iran recently showcased its nuclear progress before the world when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad inserted the first domestically manufactured uranium rods into the reactor on 16 February.

Israel considers Iran's nuclear ambition a threat to global security and sanctions and talks will only give Iran enough time to build on its nuclear capability.

Israel well understands the strike capabilities of Iran and anti-Israel militant groups in Iran.

Israel's military intelligence chief recently estimated that the country's enemies have 200,000 rockets and missiles aimed at the Jewish state, according to an AP report.

Considering the vulnerability of Israeli cities by hostile nations, safety drills, public safety mechanisms such as public-air-raid shelters in the cities and bomb-proof rooms in apartments are a common sight in Israel.

Israel Iran