From war to routine: Israel lifts restrictions, restarts transit and schools in most of the country
Northern areas will remain under limited activity, with caps on gatherings, restricted education to protected spaces, and continued workplace limitations
Israel’s Home Front Command announced updated protection guidelines Wednesday evening, outlining a phased easing of restrictions following the ceasefire with Iran.
Current restrictions will remain in place until 6:00 a.m. Thursday, after which new measures will apply through 8:00 p.m., subject to ongoing assessments.
Northern areas will remain under limited activity, with caps on gatherings, restricted education to protected spaces, and continued workplace limitations. In most other parts of the country, activity will largely return to normal, though some regions will maintain a cap of up to 1,000 people for gatherings.
Schools across Israel are also expected to begin a phased return to full in-person learning on Thursday. Many municipalities have been classified as “green,” following the security assessment of the Home Front Command, allowing the Ministry of Education to approve a full resumption of frontal classes.
Alongside the easing measures, Israel’s transportation system is also resuming operations.
Israel Railways announced a return to full service nationwide starting Thursday, in line with Home Front Command guidelines, after operating at reduced capacity during the conflict. The reopening will take place in phases, with key stations including Tel Aviv HaHagana and Dimona resuming service immediately, followed by near-full nationwide operations by Sunday.
Light rail service in the Tel Aviv area is also returning to full operation, including the reopening of previously closed stations. Officials said underground stations that had been used as protected spaces during the fighting will now return to normal use.
The Transportation Ministry announced that efforts are underway to fully resume operations at Ben Gurion airport starting at midnight, while emphasizing that all measures remain subject to change depending on the security situation. Flights are also expected to resume at Herzliya airport on Thursday morning, with Ramon airport set to reopen Sunday. A decision on reopening Haifa Airport is expected later in the week, depending on further security assessments.