Israel closes beaches, restricts gatherings amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army on Saturday ordered the closure of beaches and restricted gatherings and educational activities in northern Israel amid escalating tension with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

“Changes have been decided in the defense policy for the home front command in the lower Galilee, upper Galilee, central Galilee, and some settlements in the (occupied Syrian) Golan Heights,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement.

The area specified by the army spokesman extends from the city of Haifa to the border with Lebanon, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Hagari said the changes include limiting gatherings to a maximum of 30 people in open spaces and 300 people in closed buildings.

He added that educational activities could be conducted in locations that allow access to protected areas.

The military spokesman said that beaches in these areas will remain closed to the public as part of the security measures in place.

The new instructions came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency meeting on Saturday evening to assess the security situation along the border with Lebanon.

The meeting was attended by cabinet ministers and senior security officials, Yedioth Ahronoth said.

Israel is on high alert amid anticipation of an imminent response from Hezbollah to Friday’s deadly attack that killed at least 38 people, including children and women, and injured dozens in Beirut’s southern suburb.

Hezbollah confirmed that at least 16 of its members, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Ahmed Wahbi, were killed in the Israeli strike.

The attack came two days after at least 37 people were killed and over 3,000 others injured in two waves of wireless communication device explosions across Lebanon.

While the Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the explosions, Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its involvement.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala