Jerusalem. Israel announced on Saturday the closure of schools across the country and restrictions on public gatherings for security reasons, following threats of attack by Iran.
Starting Sunday, the first day of the week in Israel, school and extracurricular “educational activities, excursions and outings” will be suspended, said army spokesman Daniel Hagari.
The measure was taken “taking into account the security situation” and will be in effect on Sunday and Monday.
As part of these restrictions, recreation centers will also be closed and excursions canceled.
In view of Passover, outdoor gatherings will be limited to 1,000 people, with even fewer in border regions, where beaches will be closed.
Commercial activities will not be affected by the measures.
Hagari asked the population to maintain their level of “vigilance and responsibility.”
“The defense and attack systems of the air force are on alert and dozens of planes patrol the skies, prepared and ready (…). We have an excellent anti-aircraft defense system, but the defense is not airtight,” he added.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz canceled a planned trip to Austria and Hungary with relatives of hostages held in Gaza by the Islamist movement Hamas since October 7.
Iran vowed retaliation for the April 1 bombing of its consulate in Damascus, which it blamed on Israel. In that bombing, seven members of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, died, two of them with the rank of general.
US President Joe Biden said Friday that he expected Iran to retaliate “sooner rather than later.”
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– 2024-04-17 03:05:43
