Couple killed by Hezbollah rocket named

It is unclear why the couple did not leave the city, despite the evacuation order. Yehud and Sharvit were among about three thousand people who currently stay in Kiryat Shmona, of the town's 24 thousand population.

'People stay either for ideological reasons, or because they are too old, or because they do not want to be in a hotel,' Igal Tzipori, rabbi of the Chabad House of Kiryat Shmona, told TPS-IL. 'Some of the people left soon after the war started on October 7 last year, but then came back.'

The death of Yehud and Sharvit marked the first deadly attack on civilians since the start of the ground operation of Israeli Defense Forces in Lebanon on October 1.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the 20-rocket barrage on mostly evacuated northern city. Another 40 missiles were fired at the Haifa Bay area. Since Wednesday's morning, Hezbollah has fired more than 90 rockets at northern communities.

Fires broke out in several buildings from falling shrapnel and direct hits. Later in the day, the Israel Defense Forces released footage of an airstrike on the launcher that fired the barrage at Kiryat Shmona. Firefighters also battled blazes in Safed, Hatzor HaGlilit, and near the Birya forest.

After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the Iran-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets and launching drones at northern Israel communities, killing 49 people. According to figures released by the government on Sept. 29, more than 68,000 residents of northern Israel are displaced from their homes. Hezbollah leaders have repeatedly said they would continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes.

Israel's war goals include securely returning northern residents to their homes.

Israeli officials demand Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from southern Lebanon in compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1701 which ended the Second Lebanon War of 2006. This includes all areas south of the Litani River such as the cities of Nabatieh and Tyre, as well as the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon. (ANI/TPS)