The Israeli occupation government has reopened a nuclear bunker in Jerusalem Hills as part of its fight against the outbreak of the coronavirus, Israeli officials revealed on Thursday.

The bunker, called the “National Management Centre”, was built more than a decade ago out of concern over Iran’s nuclear programme and missile attacks from Hezbollah and Hamas.

According to the Israeli officials, the bunker includes living rooms and command facilities, and is accessible through the government complex in Jerusalem and the western part of Tel Aviv.

Speaking to Reuters, an Israeli unnamed official confirmed that the bunker: “Is another tool for managing, controlling, oversight and tracking the coronavirus.”

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The official added: “We understand that this crisis will accompany us for an extended period of time yet.”

However, the Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett told the Israel Radio reporter that the bunker “is not so relevant” at this time as “we are not under a missile attack that would require us to be underground.”

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz explained that the bunker had limited benefit now as: “It protects from bombs, but not from microbes.”