Red Alert, an Israeli missile warning and notification service, has teamed up with chat app Yo in order to send notifications to the nation’s citizens of incoming missile strikes.
Users of the service who add RedAlertIsrael will receive the app’s ‘yo’ notification whenever an inbound attack is spotted. This is complemented by the service Red Alert, which also gives warnings about missiles entering Israel from the border.
Since the inception of Yo – an app described as the most simple service developed – in April this year, it has received an estimated two million downloads worldwide. The software was created by Or Arbel, a San Francisco-based Israeli whose creation has the sole function of sending a push notification containing the solitary word “yo” to the desired recipient. Many remain sceptical with regards to the purpose and usefulness of the unlikely hit app.
The developers behind Red Alert, Kobi Snir and Ari Sprung, intend to use the chat app to send out these notifications as a means of reaching a larger number of citizens who want to be alerted to strikes.
According to news providers in Israel, the notifications are designed to complement the Red Alert service, which provides a more in-depth breakdown of missile activity. It has also been announced that Sprung and Snir receive their information about Palestinian air strikes from the Homefront Command and the Israel Defense Force.
The use of Yo by the Israelis comes at a time where there is increased tension between Israel and Palestine.
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