Rockets fired from Lebanon burn around 17,300 acres in northern Israel since last October: Media

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli data revealed on Friday that around 17,300 acres of open land in northern Israel have been burned due to rocket fire from Lebanon since the Israeli army and Hezbollah started trading fires on Oct. 8.

“Nature reserves in the Galilee and the Golan Heights including Nahal Dishon, Gamla, Nahal Hatzor, Majrase and Meshushim, were severely damaged (by fire),” the Israeli daily Haaretz cited a statement by Israel's Nature and Parks Authority as saying.

The latest fires broke out on Thursday in northern Israel following a barrage of rockets launched from Lebanon.

“Firefighting and rescue teams gained control over most of the fires ignited in northern Israel on Thursday following a rocket barrage launched from Lebanon,” the daily said.

It noted that “the fires ignited in the Biriya forest and near the Daliyot river in the Golan Heights, however, have not been extinguished yet.”

The daily also revealed that “as a result of the heavy rocket barrages launched into northern Israel in recent days, thousands of dunams of forest and open areas have been damaged.”

However, an accurate assessment of the extent of the damage has not yet been issued, it added.

Tensions have soared along Lebanon’s border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv pressed ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 38,000 people since Oct. 7 last year.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio