Kiryat Shmona mayor: ‘I’ll block city entrance if residents told to return before Hezbollah removed from border’

The mayor of Kiryat Shmona says that residents will not return to their homes until Hezbollah has been pushed back from the northern border.

“Nearly 90% of the city’s residents have evacuated and are scattered throughout the country,” Avichai Stern tells the Kan public broadcaster.

“As long as the Radwan Unit is on the border, we will not return to our home,” he says, referring to the terror group’s elite unit. “If necessary, I will block the entrance with my body.”

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the Lebanese border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.

The skirmishes on the border have resulted in four civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of nine IDF soldiers. There have also been several rocket attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 133 members killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 19 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 19 civilians, three of whom were journalists, have been killed.