All gatherings banned as military ramps up restrictions after US strikes on Iran

All public gatherings were banned, schools remained closed, and only essential businesses were permitted to operate as of Sunday, under new, stricter civilian regulations issued by the IDF’s Home Front Command following the US strike on Iran.

The new restrictive guidelines will be in place until Monday, June 23, when a fresh assessment will be conducted.

The US conducted strikes on Iran’s Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites, President Donald Trump announced early Sunday, after more than a week of strikes by Israel that damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, eradicated the country’s air defenses, and took out many of its military brass and top nuclear scientists.

Iran, in retaliation for the Israeli strikes, has launched dozens of ballistic missile barrages at Israel, including 27 missiles fired in two salvos Sunday morning that caused injuries to 86 people, according to the Health Ministry.

The new guidelines were a return to the strictest level of restrictions imposed at the start of the campaign against Iran. They had been relaxed in recent days, allowing workplaces to resume activities and permitting small gatherings within reach of bomb shelters.

According to an earlier assessment conducted on Saturday night, prior to the US strikes, gatherings in most areas of the country were permitted up to 30 people, provided a shelter could be reached in time. On Israel’s borders, gatherings were permitted with up to 50 people outdoors and 100 people indoors.

Nationwide, workplaces were allowed to operate under the same conditions, but schools and other educational institutions remained closed.

Home Front Command guidelines issued on June 22, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

All Israeli airlines suspended their operations Sunday as the Israel Airport Authority announced the closure of the country’s airspace following the US attack on Iran.

The airport was expected to reopen at 2 p.m., the Transportation Ministry said, in order to resume the repatriation of Israelis stranded abroad.

Land crossings into Egypt and Jordan remained open, the port authority said.

Israel says its sweeping assault, which began June 13, on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.

Iran has retaliated by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel.

So far, Iran’s missile attacks have killed 24 people and wounded thousands in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals. Some of the missiles that were not intercepted by Israeli air defenses have hit apartment buildings, a university and a hospital, causing heavy damage.