Iran, Lebanon and fears of escalation: home front special situation to be extended
Against the backdrop of uncertainty on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts, the government is set to extend the special situation in the home front throughout the country until September 8. According to the draft resolution, security officials estimate there is still a "high probability" of an attack on Israel.
Against the backdrop of ongoing uncertainty on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts, the government is expected to extend the declaration of a special situation in the home front throughout the country until September 8, 2026. This is according to a draft resolution submitted by the Minister of Defense, which is subject to approval by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
In the explanatory notes to the proposal, it is stated that according to the assessment of security officials, despite ceasefires and developments in recent months, the threat to the Israeli home front remains significant.
"There is still a high probability that an attack on the civilian population will occur," the proposal states.
The special situation in the home front was first declared on February 28, with the launch of Operation "Lion's Roar" against Iran, following the security establishment's assessment that a large-scale counterattack was expected. That same morning, dozens of missiles were fired from Iran towards Israel, and on March 2, Hezbollah joined the firing from Lebanon. Since then, the declaration has been extended by a series of government decisions, with the current extension set to expire on August 11.
The document also addresses the ceasefire with Iran, announced on April 7, noting that uncertainty regarding its future persists. This follows Iran's launch of a ballistic missile attack on Israel on June 7, which was met with an Israeli counterattack, with Iranian fire continuing the next day.
On the northern front, security uncertainty also remains. A ceasefire was announced on April 17, and an agreement was signed between Israel and Lebanon on June 26, but the explanatory notes claim that Hezbollah has continued to violate the ceasefire and that fighting against the organization is still ongoing.
The practical implication of declaring a special situation in the home front is the granting of broad powers to the IDF and the Home Front Command, including the authority to mandate stays in protected spaces, restrict studies, and issue additional instructions intended to protect human life and property.
However, as of now, there are no Home Front Command instructions restricting the civilian population. The draft resolution noted that it may be necessary to renew instructions in accordance with future developments and situation assessments.
Ahead of the expiration of the declaration on September 8, an additional situation assessment will be held to decide whether there is a need to extend it once again. Conversely, if a fundamental change occurs in the security situation, it will be possible to cancel the declaration or limit it to areas where it is still required.
