Fires in Metula due to rockets
While Israel considers whether to launch an offensive on Hezbollah in Lebanon, the ongoing cross-border fighting is leaving a trail of destruction across more than 130 communities in the north.
Since Hezbollah began its attack on northern Israel, over 1,023 strikes have targeted civilian, public, and infrastructure buildings with rocket, UAV, and missile fire from Lebanon. According to a survey by the Defense Ministry, nearly a quarter of the damage has been caused by IDF operations, and is mostly to private residents.
Due to security risks, only 802 sites hit by the fire have been inspected so far. The ministry's "Northern Horizon," a directorate set up to respond to the needs of residents and communities near the border with Lebanon, along with Israel's tax authorities, began a pilot project in Kibbutz Manara to assess the extend and severity of the damage there, caused mainly by drone strikes.
The five communities that have suffered the most damage to homes, buildings, and public infrastructure are Kiryat Shmona, with 147 reported hits so far, followed by Manara, with 130 buildings damaged in varying extent, Metula with 121 homes that for the most part were not assessed due to security concerns, Shlomi where 155 buildings were hit and Arab al-Aramsha, with 88 homes damaged. There too assessment of the destruction could not be carried out.
"In most of our evacuated kibbutzim, it is impossible to reach and assess the damage to infrastructure, buildings, and residential homes," says Giora Zaltz, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council. "The damage is not only from Hezbollah fire but also from the prolonged presence of IDF forces in the area.
He said in some places, it was impossible to determine if the damage was a result of the troops' presence or was caused by Hezbollah fire. "We are not doing any repairs right now, because even contractors refused to come in to fix or build. We cannot even estimate when we will be able to start dealing with the damage and begin to rebuild."