ByTZVI JASPER

Home Front Command updated its security guidelines for Israel's northern communities on Sunday, in light of the increasing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.

The new guidelines limit gatherings in communities along the Lebanese border to no more than 1,500 people. They come into effect at 22:30 on Sunday and end at 20:00 on Monday.

All other security guidelines previously issued by Home Front Command remain unchanged.

Ynet reported on Sunday that the Conflict Line Forum had decided that, independently of the Home Front Command guidelines, they would declare their communities to be at "orange" alert, and shut down schools and education centers beginning on Tuesday.

"I am furious at the disconnect of those sitting in the ivory tower from the reality of the parents, students, and residents here," said Moshe Davidovitz, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum. "Not only is this not a green policy, but it is a spit in the face of the children of the conflict line. The blood of our children is not in vain, and we will not wait for a disaster to make life-saving decisions."

Anti-missile batteries fire interception missiles toward incoming ballistic missiles launched from Lebanon, as seen in northern Israel, during the war with Iran and Hezbollah and ongoing missile fire toward Israel, March 16, 2026.
Anti-missile batteries fire interception missiles toward incoming ballistic missiles launched from Lebanon, as seen in northern Israel, during the war with Iran and Hezbollah and ongoing missile fire toward Israel, March 16, 2026. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Hezbollah, Israel escalate attacks, accuse each other of violating ceasefire

The growing security concern in the area stems from the intensifying exchanges between Hezbollah and the IDF in southern Lebanon in recent days.

Leading into Sunday, the first dispute between the sides following the April 17 ceasefire was that Israel said that the ceasefire only applied North of the Litani River, but not within southern Lebanon.

Since the ceasefire, the IDF had killed over 40 Hezbollah fighters, but almost all in southern Lebanon.

In contrast, Hezbollah wanted the IDF to cease operations in southern Lebanon on the way to a more speedy withdrawal from the area back to within Israel’s borders.

Yonah Jeremy Bob and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.