In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a fierce exchange of artillery and rocket fire along the contentious Israel-Lebanon border.
Guided missiles targeted Israeli military sites in the occupied Shebaa Farms and two locations in the occupied Kfar Chouba Hills, while Israeli artillery struck the vicinity of villages in the western sector of southern Lebanon.
Following the intense cross-border clashes, Israel announced a major evacuation initiative. More than 20,000 residents from Kiryat Shmona, a significant town on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, will be evacuated.
This decision comes in the wake of heightened tensions in the region, exacerbated by the recent conflict in Gaza.
The Israel-Lebanon border has been a hotspot of sporadic clashes, with the situation intensifying after the Gaza war erupted two weeks ago. Several areas along the frontier had already been declared closed military zones, compelling residents to relocate.
However, the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona marks the largest displacement from the lush hills of the eastern Galilee region.
Tragically, the Lebanese army reported the death of a journalist on Thursday, allegedly killed by Israeli gunfire in an area across the border from Kiryat Shmona.
This incident occurred during a heavy exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon.
Concerns are mounting that the persistent violence along the Israel-Lebanon border could escalate into a broader regional conflict, amplifying the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas Islamists in Gaza.
Israel’s military responded to the situation, stating that one of its drones targeted a “terrorist in Lebanese territory” and took action against Hezbollah assets in response to rockets fired from Lebanon.
The evacuees from Kiryat Shmona will find temporary shelter in state-subsidized guesthouses, as the Defense Ministry of Israel coordinates a massive relocation effort.
This evacuation adds to the tens of thousands of Israelis who have already left their homes near the southern Gaza border due to the escalating tensions in the region.
