Israeli firefighters (IDF)
Rockets and missiles launched by Hezbollah terrorists from bases in Lebanon that hit within Israeli territory have caused massive forest fires in the north of the country. The fires are more likely this week due to a local heatwave and dry weather. While the IDF says that the fires are now under control, the damage was already done.
Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority reported that the fires that raged in the Golan Heights, following the firing of rockets from Lebanon into the Katzrin area, destroyed around 2,500 acres of land.
According to estimates, the restoration of some of the nature reserves and hiking trails in the area that were completely destroyed by the fire will take several years.
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Dr. Yehoshua Shakdi, the Chief Scientist of the Nature and Parks Authority, said, “Most of what is burned is grass. This year was a very rainy year and the grass has grown significantly. At the moment, when the grass dries, it ignites easily, so more and more fires are expected, and the situation may get worse.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that on Monday alone Approximately 30 projectiles (rockets, missiles, drones, etc.) that were launched from Lebanon by Hezbollah terrorists crossed into Israeli territory.
The fire in the Golan Heights (Photo Eitan Nissim – Israel Nature Authority)
The IDF intercepted an explosive UAV/drone in northern Israel and another explosive UAV from Lebanon hit Israeli territory. No injuries were reported.
The Israel Air Force conducted airstrikes targeting a Hezbollah operative in Naqoura and hitting military infrastructure in Hanine and several military compounds used by the Hezbollah Aerial Defense Array in the area of Qotrani in southern Lebanon.
In addition, the IDF said on Sunday over 15 projectiles were fired from Lebanon toward multiple areas in northern Israel, endangering the lives of many Israeli civilians.
In response, IAF fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military structure in the area of Houla, where some of the projectiles were fired from. Additionally, IDF aircraft identified and struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility which triggered secondary explosions, indicating the presence of large quantities of weapons at the site.
IDF and firefighters worked for 14 hours overnight to put out the most recent fires.
“We are currently at a fire station in Kiryat Shmona, we have been on operational duty for about two weeks in light of the warming of the northern sector,” said Lt. Col. (ret.) Shlomi Vardi, commander of the fire brigade of the IDF’s Home Front Command.
“Today we are working over 14 hours in a row following the fires that were in the Ramim ridge in Kiryat Shmona,” he added. “We are connecting our people and working from Nablus to Nablus with the blue firefighters, and we are here to protect the north, minimize damage to lives and property and do what is necessary to restore the sense of security and prevent harm from the fires.”
