Andrea Mitchell probably wasn’t expecting this one when she sat down with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer this afternoon. In the middle of the live interview, MSNBC’s viewers got a chance to experience the “Red Alert” smartphone application that warns Israelis that they have only minutes, if not seconds, to find cover before an incoming Hamas rocket attack.

Midway through answering a question, Dermer’s phone was alerted to a real-time attack in Ashkelon, a city in southern Israel.

It’s terrifying to imagine the absolute fear Israeli citizens are facing at any given time right now, and this rare media moment offers a glimpse of just how chaotic that might feel.