


Avner Netanyahu’s wedding to his partner Amit Yardeni, set for Monday, has been canceled amid the open conflict with Iran, according to Hebrew media reports on Saturday.
Israel launched a major offensive early Friday morning against the Islamic Republic, striking nuclear sites, military facilities, missile bases and senior leadership. In retaliation, Iran has launched multiple waves of ballistic missiles at Israel, triggering nationwide missile sirens and sending much of the country into bomb shelters.
Some 80 people were reported hurt in the Iranian barrage, including three who were critically injured and later died in the cities of Ramat Gan and Rishon Lezion.
The country has remained in a state of emergency.
The prime minister’s son’s wedding had already caused controversy, drawing ire from some anti-government protesters who denounced the Netanyahu family for holding a celebration while Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza under the premier’s watch.
Several anti-government protest organizations had made known in recent weeks that they were organizing demonstrations in the area of the wedding.
Amid ongoing security concerns, iron roadblocks and barbed wire fences had been erected within a 100-meter (109-yard) radius of the venue — the upscale Ronit’s Farm event hall in Kibbutz Yakum, north of Tel Aviv. Police had also announced earlier this week that airspace within a 1.5 kilometer (0.9 miles) radius of the venue would be closed except for police helicopters.
Netanyahu family events have seen large-scale anti-government demonstrations in recent months. In April, hundreds of anti-government protesters demonstrated outside a pre-wedding event hosted by the family of the bride and attended by the Netanyahus.
According to Ynet, Avner Netanyahu had requested that no members of Knesset be invited to the event, which was to host hundreds of guests.
This is the second time that the wedding was postponed, following its cancellation last year due to concerns that it could be targeted amid the multifront war and drone threat, after a Hezbollah drone hit one of the prime minister’s private residences while he wasn’t at home.