Safed says no plans to evacuate after ‘rocket deluge’

The head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council in northern Israel is calling on the government to “wake up” and get out in front of the threat from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force on the northern border.

“The north was subjected to a deluge of rockets this morning,” Moshe Davidovich says, according to Walla. “The head of the Radwan Force is spitting on us time after time and we think it’s raining. I reiterate, there’s no north without security.”

Safed Mayor Shuki Ohana tells the Ynet news site that the Upper Galilee’s largest city is ready should tensions continue to snowball. “We have shelters… we’ll do an assessment and see where this goes.”

But speaking to Army Radio, he says the city is short on shelters, though an evacuation is not currently being considered.

“We have all the plans for it, but it’s not on the table right now,” he says. “If needed, we’ll implement the plan.”

Amit Sofer, who heads the Marom Galil Regional Council, says already evacuated residents won’t return until Israel answers each Hezbollah violation of UN Resolution 1701, which is supposed to keep the terror group dozens of kilometers from the border.

“The Radwan Force will not sit on the northern border. The end of the fighting in the north can only be after significant harm is done to Hezbollah’s capabilities,” he tells Walla.