Israel shut down beginning Friday afternoon for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, with the country embroiled in an active war on the Holy Day for the first time since 1973.

The country remained on high alert with troops continuing combat operations in Lebanon and Gaza and special alert systems in place to warn the population amid near-constant rocket fire and spiraling tensions with Iran.

The day also marked a period of introspection as the country reflected on a year of immense pain and suffering following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that plunged the country into a year of war that shows no signs of abating.

In light of the security situation, the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command urged residents to ensure that they had access to special warning systems put in place to alert them to specific dangers like rocket and missile attack or to broader warnings in case of a further outbreak of war.

People can activate a silent broadcast station on radios and televisions, that will transmit in silence with the exception of rocket warning sirens, which will be aired out loud, in real time.

The Home Front Command will also continue to use warning systems to cell phones and through its app, warning of incoming rockets.

More than 80 rockets were fired at northern Israel in the hour ahead of the fast, with most being intercepted. Several fell in open areas and sparked fires. There were no reports of injuries.

As sundown approached, all local radio, television and internet broadcasts and news sites gradually fell silent, however, several noted they were prepared to resume operations in the event of major events.

For religious and traditional Jews, the 25-hour period of fasting and praying began at 5:31 p.m. in Jerusalem and 5:51 p.m. in Tel Aviv. It will end on Saturday at 6:46 p.m. and 6:48 p.m., respectively.

On Thursday, newly appointed Chief Sephardic Rabbi David Yosef affirmed existing IDF protocols prohibiting soldiers engaged in active combat from fasting on Yom Kippur.

The chief rabbi wrote that it was “clear” that IDF combat soldiers actively involved in fighting are prohibited from fasting on Yom Kippur. They are also not to limit the amount they eat and drink, but to consume food and liquids as they normally do.”

In Jewish law, saving human life takes precedence over adhering to religious strictures, including the prohibition against eating on Yom Kippur, a day of fasting dedicated to introspection and repentance.

Troops are currently fighting in the Gaza Strip and in southern Lebanon.

The IDF also said Friday it was bolstering its West Bank presence with several additional combat platoons to guard settlements and the security barrier, following a recent situational assessment.

Israel police were also on high alert across the country amid a recent spate of terror attacks.

Hospitals across the country were also operating on an emergency footing with teams ready to respond to any events.

This year marks the first time Israel has been in a state of active war on Yom Kippur since 1973, when it suffered a surprise attack on the Holy Day by the armies of Egypt and Syria.

President Isaac Herzog reflected on the pain of the wars of the past year sparked by the October 7 massacre that saw thousands of Hamas terrorists infiltrate from Gaza and kill some 1,200 people and take another 251 hostages, of which 97 remain in Gaza.

In a traditional annual Selichot event at his official residence Friday morning in Jerusalem, Herzog recited a version of the Al Chet prayer, which he said reflected “my pain, our pain over the situation we we find ourselves in as a country and society, for the terrible events of the last year and October 7th specifically.”

The nightly prayers — a litany of penitential and supplicant prayers — are held every day from before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, through Yom Kippur.

“We will continue to pray and work for the immediate return of our hostages from the hands of the murderous Hamas, for the secure return of those uprooted from their homes in the north and south, for the healing of those wounded in body and soul, and for the success and safe return of the IDF soldiers and security forces,” Herzog said.

“May the year and its curses be gone, and may we have a year of good news, salvation and comfort. May you be signed and sealed in the book of life,” he said, ending with the traditional Yom Kippur wishes.

Despite the ongoing war, much of the country shut down in accordance with traditions.

All flights in and out of Ben Gurion airport ceased at 2:00 p.m on Friday. The airport will reopen Saturday night with arrivals starting at 10:30 p.m., while departures will resume an hour later. During this period Israel’s air space is also closed to flights passing through.

Border crossings were also shut and will reopen late Saturday.

Trains stopped operating at 1:00 p.m. and will only resume on Sunday morning, as inner-city buses and inter-city transport also halted their routes starting at 2:00 p.m. They will gradually restart Saturday evening.

Roads were largely clear of cars by early Friday evening as is the national tradition.

In normal years they are usually replaced with multitudes of people on bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles. Driving during the Jewish Day of Atonement is considered taboo, and many secular Israelis have turned the day into a biking holiday, taking advantage of the car-free roads.

For the Magen David Adom Rescue service and other paramedics, this Yom Kippur will provide additional challenges as they remain on high alert to deal with incoming rocket fire in addition to the extra missions of the day.

Yom Kippur is one of the busiest days of the year with hundreds of extra medics, paramedics, ambulances and volunteers deployed across the country.

Most injuries over Yom Kippur come from accidents on the roads as tens of thousands of children and teens take advantage of the deserted streets to ride their bicycles. Other common Yom Kippur injuries are caused by parents leaving children unattended outside synagogues and, of course, dehydration and complications from fasting.