Lebanon-backed Hezbollah launched missiles targeting northern Israel that triggered forest fires across the region on Tuesday (June 4).
The Israeli authorities initiated rescue efforts to contain the spread of fire that engulfed residential areas in border towns and villages.
Israel Fire and Rescue Services released a statement saying that the fires began on Monday (June 3) and had already shrouded thousands of acres of land.
“As of this time, there are three active sites” near the border with Lebanon, the Israel Fire and Rescue Service posted on X earlier Tuesday.
The blaze progressed towards Kiryat Shmona, a town where daily exchanges of fire between the army and Hezbollah since Hamas’ Oct 7 assault against Israel prompted a mass evacuation.
On Sunday (Jun 2), a rocket fired from Lebanon hit the town of Katzrin causing a brush fire in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights that torched nearly 10 square kilometres of land.
The blaze was reported in Alma al-Shaab and Dhayra villages, situated near the border with Israel, as per Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).
It said the fires were caused by “Israeli phosphorus incendiary shells”.
The Israeli military said that it had deployed reinforcements to back the firefighters who were swamped by the scale of the fires.
“Six… reservist soldiers were lightly injured as a result of smoke inhalation and transferred to a hospital to receive medical treatment,” the army said.
“The forces gained control over the locations of fire, and at this stage, no human life is at risk,” it added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement saying that it was closely monitoring the situation.
Government spokesman David Mencer said that attacks launched by Hezbollah “have caused significant fires”.
In some areas of northern Israel firefighters had been battling “fire for almost 24 hours in extreme weather conditions while striving to reach out and save lives, and prevent damage to property,” Mencer said.
(With inputs from agencies)
