Shafaq News- Middle East

Around 11,000 settlers of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona have applied for evacuation, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Thursday, saying this is due to ongoing sirens and prolonged stays in shelters amid escalating tensions along the Lebanese border.

The newspaper added that “more than half” of the requests have been rejected because of budget shortages allocated for evacuation operations, sparking discontent among residents.

According to Yedioth, the Israeli government is reluctant to fund a large-scale evacuation, fearing it could be perceived as a victory image for Hezbollah, despite growing calls from residents to leave the area.

Earlier, Hezbollah’s military media published footage showing, for the first time, the targeting of Kiryat Shmona using artillery shells rather than rockets.