Israel lifts nationwide restrictions after US-Iran ceasefire, northern areas remain on alert

Israel announced Wednesday that it has lifted nationwide restrictions following a ceasefire between the US and Iran, with measures remaining in place in northern regions. In a statement, Israel's Home Front Command said the decision was made after a situational assessment and would take effect at 6 a.m. local time (0300GMT).

Regional exceptions

The command said in-person education and the reopening of workplaces would resume across most of the country, while restrictions would continue in areas near the Lebanese border, the occupied Golan Heights and coastal parts of Haifa. In those regions, educational activities will be limited to bomb shelters, while workplaces may operate provided they are close to shelters. The command also said gatherings would be capped at up to 200 people indoors and 50 people outdoors in these areas.

Normalization

In the rest of the country, nearly all restrictions have been lifted, allowing schools to reopen and businesses to resume normal operations. Israel had imposed nationwide restrictions following the escalation with Iran, later easing some measures on March 5 amid concerns over the economic impact.

Ceasefire context

The lifting of restrictions comes after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire, though Israel has stated that the truce "does not include Lebanon." Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued on Thursday, killing at least seven people in southern Lebanon.