Tel Aviv sees Etai War protest, Israeli police detain 17 people

According to a report by The Times of Israel, Israeli police detained 17 individuals during protest demonstrations in Tel Aviv on Saturday. On Saturday, hundreds of Israelis held an anti-war rally at the Theater Square in central Tel Aviv, demanding that authorities end the ongoing hostilities and military operations in Lebanon, Iran, and the Gaza Strip. According to a Sputnik correspondent, mounted police dispersed the protesters, during which clashes also occurred between security forces and activists. Although the rally was approved, it was deemed a violation of civil defense regulations that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people in open areas due to the risk of shelling. Police accused the protesters of violating an Israeli High Court decision that prohibited the dispersal of a protest with fewer than 600 participants at Habima Square. When the number of protesters exceeded the designated limit, police began to disperse it, declaring it illegal, resulting in 17 individuals being arrested and transferred by bus. It is worth noting that since February 28, the US and Israel have begun targeting objectives in Iran, to which Iran has responded by launching attacks on Israeli territory and US military bases in the Middle East. Tensions have increased between Israel and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah since the night of March 2. Israel has launched large-scale attacks in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and the outskirts of Beirut, while on March 16, the Israeli army officially announced the start of a ground operation in southern Lebanon.