The IDF on Monday announced new closures starting from 12 p.m. in portions of the South as an attack from Iran looms.
There is no evidence that Hamas could pose a significant threat to these areas given that its rocket fire has been minuscule since January, with tiny spurts only impacting the closest Gaza border communities.
The Jerusalem Post understands that the specific directive may have emerged after a group pushed for large-scale prayer groups in the area on Monday regarding Tisha B’Av.
IDF sources said that between 700 to 1,500 persons were expected and that a number of areas are being closed to make sure that the large group prays in a place that is both secure in terms of air defense and also will not block the maneuvering of military forces.
Impacted areas
The area impacted is between the Erez Crossing and Yad Mordechai, the Shaar Hanegev Junction, the Netivot Junction, and down to Nahal Oz.
Agricultural areas from the Netivot Cemetery and until Route 234 on one side and until the security fence on the other side, have also been closed.
The Nahal Eshkol area is also closed from the Re’im Junction, running along the Urim Junction to the Maon Junction and onto the security fence.
In April, Iran launched hundreds of aerial threats at Israel, with one of its main targets being the Nevatim air base in the South.
There are also a variety of other IDF bases in the South, and Tehran has specifically threatened to strike military bases.
The current situation emerged out of an extended tit-for-tat between Israel and Iranian proxy Hezbollah during the 10-month-old war, which eventually escalated when the Lebanese terror group killed 12 Druze-Israelis at Majdal Shams, to which Israel responded by killing Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr, and also has been accused of killing Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh while he was a guest in Tehran on July 29.
The Islamic Republic and Hezbollah have threatened massive retaliation for the last two weeks since.
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