North after nine months: Thousands displaced, buildings destroyed, Israelis killed

Northern residents live in uncertainty, and it appears they will be unable to return home for the coming school year.

 View of a large fire caused from rockets fired from Lebanon, in the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, June 3, 2024.  (photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)
View of a large fire caused from rockets fired from Lebanon, in the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, June 3, 2024.
(photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Nine months have passed since the outbreak of the war. The war of attrition in the North, which has so far claimed the lives of 18 soldiers and 10 civilians, continues. Northern residents live in uncertainty and under a big question mark: will the government reach a political settlement with Hezbollah or, alternatively, will it launch an all-out war in Lebanon?

According to recent data, it appears that there were more than 1,030 hits to civilian and public buildings and infrastructure as a result of rockets, drones, and missiles fired from Lebanon.

The five communities most affected, with the highest number of homes, buildings, and public infrastructure damaged, are Kiryat Shmona, with 147 reported incidents; Kibbutz Manara, with 130 damaged buildings; Metula, with 121 homes affected; Shlomi, with 115 homes damaged; and Arab al-Aramshe, with 88 homes damaged.

Due to security risks, only 800 affected sites have been inspected so far. Following inspection, it appears that Kibbutz Manara suffered the most severe and significant damage. Out of 130 affected buildings, 65 of the kibbutz's homes sustained moderate to severe damage.

Nine months of attacks

According to data from the Alma Research Institute, since Hezbollah began fighting Israel on the northern border, from October 8 to July 1, 2,295 attacks were carried out against Israel.

 ISRAELI FORCES secure a road following a rocket attack from Lebanon, near Kiryat Shmona, last month.  (credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
ISRAELI FORCES secure a road following a rocket attack from Lebanon, near Kiryat Shmona, last month. (credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)

A total of 94.3% of the attacks against Israel are carried out within a range of 0-5 km from the border line to outposts and settlements adjacent to the fence, such as Metula, Shtula, or Shlomi.

Another 3.1% of the attacks were within a range of 5-10 km from the border line. Additionally, 1.9% of the attacks were within 10-20 km of the border line, and 0.65% of the attacks were within 20-30 km of the border line.

Finally, 0.05% of the attacks reached over 30 km from the border.

"The military area that was attacked with the highest intensity is the Mount Dov area and its outposts – where Hezbollah carries out attacks on a daily basis," Alma stated.

About 80 thousand evacuees, displaced from their homes on October 7, are scattered throughout the country. As things stand today, they will not be able to return to their homes before the beginning of the next school year.


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That said, since the beginning of the current conflict, the IDF has eliminated more than 500 Hezbollah terrorists, including senior commanders, which may lead to a gradual weakening of the terrorist organization.