Herzog urges citizens to ‘show diligence, adhere to instructions’ as Israel girds for retaliation

President Isaac Herzog urges Israelis to “show responsibility and diligence, and adhere to instructions and orders,” an apparent hint that tough times may be ahead.

Herzog makes the remark while speaking at a yeshiva in Kibbutz Sha’alvim, in a memorial for eight IDF soldiers killed in an incident in Rafah in June.

“Our enemies are attacking us again and again from all directions, and our forces are hitting back strongly,” he says, without directly mentioning the assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s top military commander Fuad Shukr.

“From near and far, our enemies understand well that we will defend our citizens at any time, in any place and in any way,” he says. “We didn’t want and will not want war, but we must be prepared, also in the home front. The fighting isn’t over. The security challenges will continue to come from different fronts.”