Escalation in the Middle East brings public life in Israel to a halt

Following Israel's major strikes on Iran, public life in Israel has largely come to a standstill.

Israel ordered the closure of schools, shops and offices, allowing only supermarkets to remain open for essential goods, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Friday.

With an Iranian retaliation expected, Israeli emergency services have called on citizens to donate blood.

Shopping centres, event venues, cultural institutions and religious sites are also closed. The Christopher Street Day parade in Tel Aviv - the largest LGBTQ event in the Middle East - planned for this weekend, has been cancelled, Haaretz added.

The Israeli Home Front Command has advised residents to stay close to bomb shelters or seek shelter in public buildings such as schools, according to the report.