Northern Israel Was On Fire As War With Hamas Ramps Up
Israeli firefighters are continuing to fight fires on the Northern border between Lebanon and occupied Palestine. Fires are currently encircling several settlements in the north including Kiryat Shmona.
Most of the fires are under control now. The blazes were sparked the day before by rockets and drones that Hezbollah launched from neighboring Lebanon.
According to the Israeli news website Ynet reported on the unfolding events that have forced authorities to evacuate to settlements in al-Jalil Pandhanle, including the largest settlement in the area, Kiryat Shmona. Large numbers of firefighters were called to the scenes of the fires, which spread to northern parts of Kiryat Shmona, burning dangerously close to housing units.
Northern Israeli settlements are still on fire as a result of bombardment by the Islamic Resistance in #Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/bdRrysro4m
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 3, 2024
Residents in the settlement and in neighboring Margaliot were told to evacuate as the uncontrollable blazes rapidly spread across the wilderness. Local authorities in Kiryat Shmona are visiting settlers “house-by-house” ordering occupiers to evacuate.
Because of the raging fires, Israeli authorities blocked the main road linking the north to the rest of the Israeli-occupied territories.
The evergrowing rift between the heads of the northern Israeli settlements and Israeli leaders is still worsening, especially in light of the fires that have ravaged northern occupied Palestine after heavy bombardment from the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon.
According to Rubi Hammerschlag, a KAN correspondent in the north, there is a “very severe crisis between local authority leaders and officials, whether in the Northern Command or among decision-makers in the Ministry of Security,” noting that “there is a very large rift. -Al Mayadeen English
Multiple X users have shared photos and videos of this fire.
בעקבות השריפות מתחיל פינוי של תושבי קריית שמונה שנשארו בעיר ויש חשש שהאש תגיע לביתם, כרגע מתחילים בפינוי מבית לבית ברחוב קק”ל בעיר pic.twitter.com/SAZtbtN5zN
— Ben Caspit בן כספית (@BenCaspit) June 3, 2024
This could provoke further war efforts by Israel.