IDF updates nationwide defensive guidelines

The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday announced updated defensive guidelines following an ongoing situational assessment by the military’s Home Front Command.

The current guidelines remained unchanged until 6 a.m. Thursday, April 9. From 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., new directives were to take effect based on security developments.

In frontline areas—including the northern Golan, Upper Galilee, the Haifa Bay Area and the communities of Katzrin and Kidmat Tzvi—activity will remain limited. Schools may operate only in protected spaces, public gatherings are restricted to 50 people outdoors and 200 indoors, and workplaces and essential services must be in reach of protected spaces. Beaches in those regions will remain closed.

The rest of the country will resume full activity, except for the Lower and Central Galilee, the Valleys, Carmel, Wadi Ara, Menashe, Samaria, Sharon, Dan, Yarkon, and Judean Lowlands regions, where gatherings will be capped at 1,000 people.

The IDF said it continues to monitor developments and will update guidelines as necessary.