MMM-RedAlert

March 28, 2026 · View on GitHub

A MagicMirror² module that monitors Israeli missile alerts (Tzeva Adom / צבע אדום) in real-time using the official Pikud HaOref API.

When an alert is issued for your configured location, the module displays a prominent full-screen warning overlay on your mirror for 90 seconds before automatically dismissing.

Alert example — pulsing red overlay with city names and safety instructions

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This module is provided for informational and convenience purposes only.

Do NOT rely on this module as your primary or sole source of emergency alerts. Always keep the official Pikud HaOref app installed and enabled on your mobile device — iOS · Android.
This module depends on network connectivity, the availability of the Pikud HaOref API, and correct functioning of your Raspberry Pi. Any of these can fail silently.
Alerts may be delayed, missed, or filtered out due to misconfiguration, network issues, API changes, or software bugs.
The authors and contributors of this module accept no responsibility or liability for missed alerts, delayed alerts, or any consequences — including personal injury or property damage — arising from the use or failure of this software.
In an emergency, always follow the instructions of the Israel Home Front Command (פיקוד העורף). Official resources: oref.org.il | Emergency hotline: 104

By installing and using this module, you acknowledge that it is a supplementary display tool and not a life-safety system.

Features

Real-time polling of the official Pikud HaOref API (every 2 seconds)
Filters alerts by your specific city or area
Filters by alert category (missiles, hostile aircraft, terrorist infiltration, etc.)
Full-screen pulsing red overlay with slide-in animation
Shows affected cities, alert type, and safety instructions in Hebrew
Countdown progress bar showing time remaining before auto-dismiss
Auto-dismisses after 90 seconds (configurable)
Deduplication — same alert won't re-trigger while it's active
Zero npm dependencies (uses Node.js built-in https)

Requirements

MagicMirror² v2.15 or later
Node.js v22 or later
The Pi / server must be on an Israeli IP address — the Pikud HaOref API is geo-restricted to Israel

Installation

cd ~/MagicMirror/modules
git clone https://github.com/Moran-k/MMM-RedAlert.git
cd MMM-RedAlert
npm install

Then add the module to your config/config.js and restart MagicMirror.

Update

cd ~/MagicMirror/modules/MMM-RedAlert
git pull
npm install
pm2 restart MagicMirror

Configuration

Add a block like this to your config/config.js:

{
  module: "MMM-RedAlert",
  position: "fullscreen_above",
  config: {
    locations: ["אשדוד", "קריית גת"],
    categories: [1, 2, 6, 10, 13],
    pollInterval: 2000,
    displayDuration: 90000,
  },
},

Config Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
`locations`	`string[]`	`["*"]`	Hebrew city/area names to watch. Use `["*"]` for all of Israel. Partial match supported — `"תל אביב"` matches `"תל אביב - מרכז העיר"`.
`categories`	`number[]`	`[1, 2, 6, 13]`	Alert categories to show. Empty array = all. See table below.
`pollInterval`	`number`	`2000`	API polling interval in milliseconds.
`displayDuration`	`number`	`90000`	How long to show the alert (ms). Default is 90 seconds.
`alertTitle`	`string`	`"🚨 צבע אדום"`	Title text shown on the overlay.
`showLocations`	`boolean`	`true`	Show the list of affected cities.
`showInstructions`	`boolean`	`true`	Show Pikud HaOref safety instructions.
`animateEntry`	`boolean`	`true`	Slide-in animation when alert appears.
`debug`	`boolean`	`false`	Log polling details to the console.

Alert Categories

Code	Type
`1`	Missiles and rockets (צבע אדום)
`2`	Hostile aircraft intrusion
`3`	Earthquake
`4`	Tsunami
`5`	Radiological event
`6`	Terrorist infiltration
`7`	Hazardous materials
`10`	News flash
`13`	Non-conventional missile

Example — Specific City

{
  module: "MMM-RedAlert",
  position: "fullscreen_above",
  config: {
    locations: ["תל אביב", "רמת גן", "גבעתיים"],
    categories: [1, 2, 13],
    displayDuration: 90000,
  },
},

Example — All of Israel

{
  module: "MMM-RedAlert",
  position: "fullscreen_above",
  config: {
    locations: ["*"],
    categories: [1],
  },
},

Data Source

This module uses the official Pikud HaOref (Home Front Command) API:

GET https://www.oref.org.il/WarningMessages/alert/alerts.json

Returns active alert JSON when sirens are active, empty response when quiet
Requires Referer and X-Requested-With headers
Geo-restricted to Israeli IP addresses
No authentication required

How It Works

node_helper.js polls the Pikud HaOref API every pollInterval milliseconds
When an alert is returned, it checks if any alerted city matches your locations config and if the category is in your categories list
If matched and not already shown (dedup by alert ID), it sends a socket notification to the frontend
MMM-RedAlert.js renders the overlay and starts the auto-dismiss timer
After displayDuration ms, the overlay fades out

Troubleshooting

No alerts showing during an actual alert?

Check that your Pi is on an Israeli IP address (the API is geo-blocked)
Enable debug: true to see polling logs in the browser console
Verify your locations strings exactly match Pikud HaOref city names (check oref.org.il)

High CPU on Pi?

Increase pollInterval to 3000 (3 seconds) — still fast enough for real alerts