Last year, Yamit Bar had meticulously planned a tour of Southeast Asia, a popular destination for Israelis. However, her plans coincided with a tumultuous period for Israel. Just a week before her departure, Hamas launched a surprise attack, Israel began bombing Gaza, and the Hezbollah militia fired projectiles, setting off alarms in Bar's kibbutz near the Lebanon border. Faced with an escalating conflict, Bar and hundreds of other residents relocated to Tiberias, a city absorbing thousands of evacuees.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced a “long and difficult” war, which eight months later, shows no signs of abating. With over 37,000 Palestinians dead and tens of thousands of Israelis and Lebanese displaced, the conflict's toll is devastating. Bar, upon returning to Israel, was shocked to hear air raid alarms in Tiberias, a grim reminder of the worsening situation.
Enosh Katz, Bar's childhood friend and member of local defense platoons, voices deep resentment. He criticizes the Netanyahu government for neglecting the northern regions while focusing on Gaza. Katz believes the government failed to foresee the October 7 attack and holds them partly responsible for the bloodshed. The sentiment among many evacuees is a desire for an open war with Hezbollah, hoping it might bring a semblance of peace similar to the post-2006 war period.
The escalating conflict has no easy resolution. Some propose ending the Gaza invasion and pursuing a political agreement through mediators like the United States to enforce United Nations resolution 1701, but Katz is skeptical. He sees no alternative but war to secure a few years of calm, highlighting the pervasive outlook that wars are inevitable in Israel’s future.
In Tiberias, another displaced resident Orna Flusser shares her frustrations. Despite the comfortable accommodations in a historic hotel, she yearns for her home. The constant state of being a guest wears on her, and she expresses a fatalistic view of the future, believing that the conflict will eventually engulf the entire country.
The recent escalation marks the most significant in eight months, following the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander by the Israeli army. Hezbollah retaliated with a barrage of projectiles, triggering alarms in Tiberias and other northern regions for the first time in months. The militia has vowed more frequent and intense attacks, adding to the unpredictability and fear amongst the townspeople.
The ongoing conflict has created a sense of perpetual insecurity. Displaced residents like Flusser live with the constant anxiety of potential attacks, feeling like pawns in a relentless cycle of violence. With no clear resolution in sight, they grapple with the harsh reality of their disrupted lives.
- Israeli Channel 12 recently reported sirens in Haifa, Gailee, and Golan, signaling possible missile strikes after Hezbollah announced the death of two members and firing a missile at an Israeli plane. This marked the first such alert since January, with the Israeli army intercepting drones over Haifa.
- Hezbollah has suffered significant losses, with Anadolu Agency reporting 335 deaths since border confrontations began in October. Recent confrontations included an Israeli bombing near the Syrian border, killing at least five people including Hezbollah members and Syrian allies.
- In retaliation, Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers near the Natua settlement, successfully hitting a gathering. They also launched surface-to-air missiles at Israeli planes, marking the second such incident in three days. Hezbollah claims these attacks forced Israeli planes to retreat, showcasing the intense back-and-forth of military engagements.
- Throughout the conflict, Hezbollah has also managed to down multiple Israeli drones, the most notable being an armed Hermes 900 drone poised for attacks on Lebanese regions. These incidents highlight the ongoing and multifaceted nature of the conflict, with significant losses and continuous escalations on both sides.
