Harambee Starlets striker Janet Moraa Bundi has described a terrifying experience as she sheltered from missile strikes while staying at her team hotel in Jerusalem, Israel, amid escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Speaking to Nation Media, Moraa, who plays professionally for FC Beitar Jerusalem in Israel’s Division Two League, said she has spent the past days confined to her hotel room at JRose Hotel, located in Jerusalem, moving repeatedly to underground bunkers as alarms warn of possible attacks.
“It started on Saturday at 8 am. I was still asleep when a warning alert louder than my usual phone alarm went off, followed immediately by the building alarm. I was really scared,” the 26-year-old said.
The footballer recounted the frantic scenes at the hotel on the first day of the conflict. Guests rushed down stairwells because elevators were non-operational, with many elderly residents struggling to reach safety.
Residents were instructed to evacuate to the first floor and then into a safe underground area for one to two minutes before returning to their rooms, remaining ready to move at a moment’s notice.
“Each alert was followed by jets flying overhead, a loud bang, and thick clouds of smoke in the sky,” Moraa said.
She added that on Saturday morning alone, she had to seek shelter in the hotel’s bunker three to four times, with alarms going off every 30 to 40 minutes.
Some hotel residents, unable to cope with the repeated alerts, relocated to nearby buildings.
The ongoing conflict began with airstrikes in Iran targeting 24 provinces, killing at least 201 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to international reports.
The situation quickly escalated as Israel responded to missile attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Tehran launched missiles and drones towards Israel, Gulf states, and even a British air base in Cyprus.
President Donald Trump has warned that the “big wave” of the conflict is yet to come, adding that the United States does not know who will succeed the late Supreme Leader.
Moraa described the psychological strain of the situation, saying the alarms and constant uncertainty have been frightening.
“The first day was really scary. I didn’t know what the loud alert on my phone meant, and in the hotel, everyone was running downstairs for safety,” she told Nation Media.
Language has also posed a challenge. Moraa, the only foreign player in her club, said most hotel staff speak limited English, making communication difficult.
She has been relying on basic interactions to navigate instructions and ensure her safety.
The Kenyan striker has been in Israel since September 2025, after joining FC Beitar Jerusalem from National Bank of Egypt (NBE) Women Football Club, where she became the first Kenyan female footballer to turn professional in Egypt.
Moraa previously featured for Yanga Princess of Tanzania and has represented Kenya’s national team, including the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
“Football leagues in Israel were suspended on Saturday, and the club told us all matches are on hold until further notice,” Moraa said.
Born in Nyamira County as the youngest of eight children, Moraa has emerged as one of Kenya’s most experienced female footballers abroad, alongside other Kenyans such as Michael Olunga, Anthony Akumu, Austine Odhiambo, and Masoud Juma who play professionally in the Middle East.
Despite the danger and disruption, Moraa said she remains hopeful and is focused on staying safe.
“It makes me scared because this is a real war,” she told Nation Media, reflecting the uncertainty faced by foreign players caught in the escalating Middle East conflict.