ANKARA 

The Israeli army has announced a ban on gatherings of over 1,000 people in central Israel, effective from Saturday, amid escalating tensions following Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's assassination.

The army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said in a statement that the ban is a precautionary measure to ensure public safety in the light of potential threats.

“We are on alert for both defense and attack, and the public must adhere to the instructions,” said Hagari.

He noted that the threat “is not over yet, Hezbollah still possesses capabilities.”

This announcement follows a series of airstrikes carried out by the Israeli army targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

Following Nasrallah's assassination, the Israeli army also threatened to target other senior Hezbollah leaders.

The assassination of Nasrallah marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Since Monday, Israeli airstrikes have ravaged Lebanon, killing nearly 800 people and injuring over 2,300, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The ministry also reported that since last October, the death toll in Lebanon has reached 1,622, with 98,800 people displaced from the southern and eastern regions of the country.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since Israel’s military onslaught on Gaza following the Hamas-led cross-border attack on Oct. 7. The Gaza conflict has claimed the lives of nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children.

The international community has expressed deep concern about Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon, warning that they could transform the Gaza conflict into a broader regional war.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara