The Israeli army said that Lebanese Hezbollah fired about 320 projectiles from Lebanon at Israel on “Yom Kippur,” the holiest Jewish holiday, which began on Friday evening and ended on Saturday night.
The Israeli army said in a statement: “During Yom Kippur over the weekend, about 320 projectiles fired by the Hezbollah terrorist organization crossed from Lebanon into Israel.”
The commemoration of this holy day for Jews comes amid exceptional circumstances in Israel, which finds itself in a state of active war for the first time since 1973, in light of the continuation of its war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in the north, and the escalation of tensions with Iran.
As part of its procedures to commemorate this day, the Israeli authorities set up special warning systems to warn residents of possible missile attacks, after the first hours of the holiday witnessed the launching of more than 120 missiles at the north of the country, most of which were intercepted without causing any casualties.
The Israeli Army Home Front Command issued instructions to citizens regarding emergency preparedness, calling for ensuring their immediate access to specialized warning systems, designed to alert them of specific dangers such as missile attacks, or to issue comprehensive warnings in the event of an escalation of the conflict.
Citizens have also been directed to activate special broadcast channels on radios and televisions, which will remain silent, but will transmit missile sirens loudly and instantly when necessary.
Despite the “state of war,” Israel adhered to Yom Kippur traditions, as Ben Gurion International Airport was closed to flights at 2:00 p.m., Friday, with its reopening scheduled for Saturday evening.
During this period, Israeli airspace was closed to all flights, including transit. The border crossings were also closed, and will reopen at the end of Saturday.
Public transportation stopped completely, with trains stopping at 1:00 p.m., and buses within and between cities. Train services are scheduled to resume on Sunday morning, while buses will gradually return to service on Saturday evening.
By Friday evening, the streets were empty of cars due to the unique status of this day.
Yom Kippur witnesses complete radio and media silence, but this time, in a departure from the norm, the Israeli media stands ready to cover any major developments related to the war, according to Agence France-Presse.
Israel went to war for the first time on Yom Kippur during the Arab-Israeli War that followed the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.
In 1973, during Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria launched an attack against the Israeli army from the west along the Suez Canal to the Golan Heights. Both sides suffered heavy losses, with thousands of soldiers killed.