Israeli citizens living in border regions are calling for immediate intervention amidst increasing conflict with Hezbollah.

Efrat Eldan Schechter, a resident of Northern Galilee, had always been content to raise her family there until the events of 7 October changed everything. When she heard about the heavily armed Hamas gunmen streaming out of Gaza and the memories of the 1973 Middle East war came flooding back, she was filled with terror. She immediately woke up her family and fled to a relative's house in the center of Israel. After a month, they returned home near Kiryat Shmona, but still lived in constant fear as they were within range of Hezbollah rockets from southern Lebanon. Efrat longed for her government to take action and ensure the safety and security of their region. The violence in the north, which began on 8 October when Hezbollah fired rockets in solidarity with the Palestinians and Israel retaliated, has turned the frontier communities of northern Israel into ghost towns. Over 80,000 residents have been evacuated, leaving the area deserted. Nissan Zeevi, a resident who stayed behind, believes that people cannot return until there is a lasting peace and the demilitarization of armed groups in southern Lebanon, as called for by UN Security Council resolution 1701. He is part of Lobby 1701, which advocates for the implementation of the resolution, even if it requires military action by Israel. While tensions continue to escalate, farmer Ofer Moskovitz remains hopeful that a wider war can be avoided through diplomatic efforts. He believes that Israel, being a strong country, is not actively seeking war, but instead prefers a diplomatic solution. However, others, like Sarit Zahavi, founder of the Alma Research Institute, express concern that a ceasefire without proper enforcement would only allow Hezbollah to grow and pose a greater threat to Israel. With escalating violence and both Hezbollah and Israel preparing for the possibility of an escalation, it seems that fewer people in Northern Israel are confident in the power of diplomacy to prevent a wider war. As Israel carried out heavy bombing along its northern border, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv faced with a seemingly impossible challenge: navigating the devastating war in Gaza and the latest developments in the north.