Israel deploys 50 more bomb shelters on border with Lebanon

As fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalates in the north, Tel Aviv is actively assessing and addressing the needs of 60,000 displaced civilians who have been living in hotels and shelters across the country for the past eight months, the Jerusalem Post reported on June 18.

Since October 7, the International Federation of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has focused on providing vulnerable Israeli communities with emergency equipment and coordinating with municipalities, welfare agencies, and local security systems to maximize protection and crisis preparedness, focusing on the northern and southern border areas.

IFCJ has pledged to deploy 50 more mobile bomb shelters in northern Israel in the coming weeks, adding to the 123 shelters that have been deployed in recent weeks and are in the final stages of completion.

The northern town of Kiryat Shmona, 2km from the Lebanese border, has been the target of multiple cross-border attacks each day, with 80% of its 23,000 residents forced to evacuate. IFCJ also plans to install 32 shelters in the Kiryat Shmona industrial zone, which has not been evacuated like the rest of the town.

According to Safwan Marich, Director of the IFCJ's Emergency Response and Safety Department, the risk of a northern front opening up while the Israeli military's attention remains focused on Gaza poses a serious threat to Israel's defenses, in ways that could potentially endanger hundreds of communities across Israel's northern border.

“With Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian forces on Israel’s northern border, we are facing an adversary with technological means that make this threat much more formidable and require a comprehensive response,” said Yael Eckstein, president of the IFCJ. “Perhaps the biggest lesson we have learned over the past eight months is that we are not prepared for the worst.”

“While we appreciate the courage of the Israeli army, which we know will ultimately prevail, the current threats mean that the (northern) front needs to be equipped and ready for the possibility of sustained and devastating attacks,” concluded the IFCJ President. “With the support and commitment of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, the IFCJ remains steadfast in continuing to provide the support and practical needs for the safety of the people of Israel at this most critical time.”

Earlier in the day, Israel warned Hezbollah of the possibility of "all-out war" after the Lebanese force released a nine-minute video showing military and civilian sites in several Israeli cities.