Fires rage overnight in the north after Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks

Firefighters battled fires in northern Israel on Tuesday morning as they continued to rage after being sparked the day before by rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

The statement from the Israeli Fire and Rescue Services said more than 30 fire crews were working to put out the fires, which led to the closure of several main roads in the Galilee region.

A statement from the fire service stressed that there was currently no threat to lives or homes, while adding that they were “working hard to protect communities and property”.

In Kiryat Shmona, firefighters deployed throughout the town, which was largely evacuated, to control the flames and prevent them from reaching homes. Firefighters said earlier that several yards, pergolas and the roof of at least one house were on fire.

At Kibbutz Kfar GIladi, north of the city, a video shared on social media showed a local security team battling flames encroaching on the community.

Fires also broke out in the Mount Adir and Amiad areas, where firefighters said their main concern was to prevent the fire from spreading to the Kahal moshav.

Firefighters said the fires had been raging for more than 13 hours, while noting the intense heatwave blanketing the area.

The Israeli military said it was helping with firefighting efforts, adding that six reservists with minor injuries from smoke inhalation were taken to hospital.

Ziv Medical Center in Safed said it treated five citizens who also suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying the prime minister had conducted an assessment with senior security officials “of developments in northern Israel” and had been briefed on firefighting efforts.

The fires came amid intensifying cross-border skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah, with the Iran-backed terror group firing numerous barrages into the Galilee and Golan Heights in recent days. According to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, a series of rocket and drone attacks sparked bushfires on Sunday that consumed 10,000 dunams (more than 2,470 acres) of foliage in open areas, including nature reserves.

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border almost daily, with the group saying it was doing so to support Gaza amid the war.

So far, border skirmishes have resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 14 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without causing any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 328 members who have been killed by Israel during ongoing skirmishes, mainly in Lebanon but also in Syria. In Lebanon, 62 other members of other terrorist groups, a Lebanese soldier and dozens of civilians were killed.

Israel has said it is open to a diplomatic solution to the conflict, but has threatened to go to war against Hezbollah to restore security in northern Israel, where tens of thousands of civilians are currently displaced.