On February 28, 2026, Israel declared a national state of emergency as Israeli and American forces launched a coordinated preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure — an operation that Israeli officials described as necessary to prevent what they characterized as an imminent existential threat. The declaration brought an immediate and sweeping set of changes to daily life: schools and many businesses were ordered to close, civilian air travel was suspended, public gatherings were prohibited, and tens of thousands of reserve soldiers received emergency mobilization orders.
The operation, which the Israeli military named "Roaring Lion," was the result of months of secret planning and intensive back-channel coordination with the United States. It targeted uranium enrichment facilities, missile production sites, and command infrastructure across multiple locations inside Iran, and was accompanied by a massive American air and naval presence in the region designed to deter Iranian retaliation against US assets.
Iranian Retaliation and Escalation
Iran's response came within days. A ballistic missile struck Arad, a city in Israel's southern Negev region, triggering a localized state of emergency and requiring emergency services to treat dozens of casualties. The strike was followed by a series of drone and missile launches against Israeli territory over the following two weeks, most of which were intercepted by Israel's multi-layered air defense systems, including the Iron Dome, Arrow, and the newer Iron Beam directed-energy system.
We are not at war — we are defending the minimum conditions for our continued existence. That is a distinction that the world needs to understand and that our enemies need to accept.
The state of emergency was extended multiple times — through March 12, then to April 14 — as the security situation remained volatile. Hospitals relocated non-urgent operations to underground facilities, and the education system shifted to remote learning for several weeks before gradually returning to in-person classes. The economic disruption was significant, with businesses in affected areas reporting substantial losses and the central bank making emergency liquidity provisions available to the banking system.
The Diplomatic Track
Even as the military dimension played out, the United States pursued a parallel diplomatic track, pushing for a framework that would contain the conflict and prevent it from escalating into a wider regional war. The result, reached through intensive mediation, was a broad agreement framework between Washington and Tehran that placed restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel was not a party to the agreement and expressed reservations about several of its provisions from the outset.
By mid-year, the state of emergency had formally ended and most restrictions had been lifted, though the security situation remained elevated and IDF reserve call-ups continued at a reduced pace. The conflict left Israel with significant costs: more than 2,000 military and civilian deaths since October 2023 across all fronts, a defense budget at peak wartime levels, and a reserve system under severe strain. It also left the country with what military planners describe as a substantially altered strategic environment — one in which Iranian nuclear infrastructure has been set back by an estimated several years.
Where Things Stand
The Knesset is currently navigating the fiscal and political aftermath of this period, with arguments over defense appropriations, the 2026 state budget, and the pace of reservist demobilization all playing out simultaneously. The war's long-term legacy — in terms of regional deterrence, diplomatic standing, and domestic politics — will take years to fully assess. For now, Israel is in what officials cautiously describe as a post-emergency, pre-resolution phase: fighting has reduced significantly, but none of the fundamental tensions that produced the conflict have been resolved.