The skies reopen, children return to school: War-time ‘normality’ resumes in Israel

After almost two weeks of strict security instructions, the IDF Home Front Command lifted all restrictions on Tuesday evening, as the ceasefire with Iran appeared to take a permanent effect.

In the past few days, the highest level of security measures had led to the closure of all workplaces and schools, while banning all forms of public gatherings.

Beginning Wednesday morning, all workplaces – including those without readily accessible shelters – were permitted to reopen.

🚨BREAKING: Israel has officially ended its state of emergency.

The @IDF Home Front Command has lifted all restrictions on schools, public gatherings, and workplaces, marking a cautious return to normal life. pic.twitter.com/chwR8iiOL2

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) June 24, 2025

The school year in Israel ended earlier due to the Israel-Iran war, and had already been impacted by a days-long teachers’ strike several weeks ago.

Summer camps, daycare facilities, language schools and other educational institutions that operate throughout the summer were also allowed to open.

High school 11th and 12th graders will also be able to take their final matriculation exams (bagrut), some of which were postponed during the war over the summer.

According to the Ministry of Education, students from all other grades are expected to return to their schools for their report cards and meetings with their teachers, subject to security assessments.

Several schools were destroyed or damaged in the missile attacks over the two past weeks.

Public gatherings – including weddings, conferences, and similar events – will be permitted nationwide, with the exception of certain areas near the Gaza Envelope, where restrictions will remain in place, limiting attendance to 2,000 people, as was the case prior to the conflict with Iran.

Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s primary gateway to the world, resumed full operations. On Wednesday, approximately 12,000 passengers are expected to travel through the airport on 88 international flights.

The reopening of the airport comes after 12 days of near-total closure of Israel’s skies due to the war, with the exception of a few repatriation flights and military cargo flights.

“Restrictions on the number of incoming and outgoing flights, as well as the number of passengers on each flight, have been lifted,” the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) announced.

“In addition, restrictions on the arrival of passengers and accompanying persons at the airports have been lifted.”

Israel’s national carrier, El Al Airlines, announced it would be ramping up its flight schedule to help return the tens of thousands of Israelis who are still stranded abroad. El Al had transferred most of its planes to airports in Cyprus and Greece to protect them amid the missile attacks from Iran.

Flight connections to Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, and Bangkok – where the majority of stranded Israelis have waited – will be increased. Over the next two days, El Al also plans to add flights to and from Budapest, Bucharest, Amsterdam, Prague, Madrid, Milan, Warsaw and Sofia.

Despite the over 500 missile launches – and dozens of impacts – in Israel, there were no reports of damage to Ben Gurion Airport.

Israel’s smaller carriers, Arkia and Israir, also announced they would resume their regular flight schedule, mainly to summer vacation locations across Europe.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced that more than 100,000 stranded Israelis will have been returned home by the end of the “Safe Return” operation that was launched last week by her ministry and the IDF Home Front Command.

“Today [Tuesday], 24 flights will land at Ben Gurion Airport, and nine flights in Haifa, and this morning, a Mano cruise arrived with 1,900 Israelis,” she said.

Regev also noted that several foreign airlines – many of which had suspended service to Israel – have submitted requests to resume operations. These include flydubai, Etihad Airways, Blue Bird, TUS Airways, Red Wings, and Ethiopian Airlines.