A day after the killing of Ahmed Ali Balout, commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, northern municipalities announced the cancellation of planned events at the request of security forces. The IDF spokesperson said ongoing situation assessments are being held, and that events previously granted exceptions to Home Front Command’s defense policy along the confrontation line were canceled due to the possibility of retaliatory fire by Hezbollah.
The Upper Galilee Regional Council said the farmers market planned for Friday at Agamon Hula was canceled “due to situation assessments and a demand by security forces to prevent a large gathering.”
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Ruins of the building in Daheih where Radwan Force commander was assassinated
(Photo: P Photo/Hussein Malla)
Nahariya Municipality told residents: “In light of the strike carried out in Beirut, we have now been updated by Northern Command that instructions to the public remain unchanged. At the same time, the exceptions granted for holding mass events in the city have been canceled. Accordingly, the events planned for tonight and tomorrow are canceled: the Night Market event planned for tonight, and the tribute event marking Victory Day over Nazi Germany.”
Maalot-Tarshiha also told residents that Northern Command had canceled the exceptions granted for mass events. “Accordingly, the events planned for tonight are canceled: the main event in the Rabin neighborhood will not take place. The Lag B’Omer bonfire on Hazayit Street will not take place,” the municipality said. “We stress that we have not received an update about expected fire toward the city, but we ask residents to remain alert, follow only official instructions and avoid spreading rumors.”
Earlier Thursday, the IDF spokesperson said several launches and suspicious aerial targets fired toward the area where IDF forces are operating in southern Lebanon had been intercepted. The IDF said Hezbollah also launched several explosives-laden drones that detonated near Israeli forces in the area. “There are no casualties among our forces. In accordance with policy, no alerts were activated,” the IDF said.
Despite the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, there has recently been an escalation in incidents by both the IDF and Hezbollah. Following Thursday’s strike, Israel now believes Hezbollah could respond by expanding the range of fire in the north. In the past, the Shiite terrorist organization has tried to concentrate its efforts and carry out heavy fire. During the war, Hezbollah deployed small terrorist cells in the field that carried out rapid rocket fire. The current concern is that the group will try to launch a heavy barrage at communities along the confrontation line, and perhaps expand the range.