On Wednesday, the northern Israeli city of Safed experienced its most severe rocket barrage from Hezbollah since the war began on October 7. The attack, which Mayor Yossi Kakon reported included over 200 rockets targeting the city, resulted in a direct hit on one home. Fortunately, the owners were abroad at the time, avoiding potential tragedy.
This incident has brought to light the severe infrastructure challenges facing Safed. Approximately 80% of homes in the city lack adequate protection, with many buildings predating safe room regulations. A significant number of these vulnerable structures are part of assisted living complexes, housing elderly residents and new immigrants. The prevalent use of lightweight construction materials like drywall in older homes further compounds the risk.
The city's public shelter system presents its own set of problems. With only a 30-second warning time between sirens and rocket impacts, many residents, especially the elderly or mobility-impaired, find it impossible to reach these shelters in time. This situation has left the city exploring options for evacuating its most vulnerable residents to safer locations.
Resident testimonies paint a vivid picture of the fear and frustration permeating the city. Yitav Haddad, who lives near the home that took a direct hit, expressed a sense of abandonment: "Unfortunately, we're being deserted. We heard a huge explosion and quickly realized it hit the neighborhood, very close to us. The government and the municipality must wake up fast because tragedies will happen. We're talking about people's lives."
Another resident, Roman, described the attack as "insane, the hardest volley we've experienced," emphasizing that the lack of protection in 80% of neighborhood homes is a source of significant fear. An elderly resident starkly illustrated the helplessness many feel, stating, "When I hear the siren, I do nothing. I just wait for it to pass and pray that we don't get hit."
Official responses to the crisis have been mixed. While Mayor Kakon acknowledged the city's significant lack of shelters, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit clarified the division of responsibilities. According to their statement, private safe room construction falls to property owners, while public protection is the municipality's responsibility. They added that the Home Front Command is collaborating with various government ministries and local authorities to advance the permitting process for building protection solutions.
The threat extends beyond Safed to nearby Druze communities like Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya, where entire neighborhoods also lack protective infrastructure.
Current measures being considered include potential evacuations for the most vulnerable residents, though the logistics of such operations remain challenging.
Residents are increasingly calling for immediate government intervention to improve protection, with growing demands for funding to retrofit older homes with safe rooms.
In response to the ongoing threat, community initiatives are emerging. Some residents are organizing neighborhood watch groups, while mutual aid networks are forming to assist elderly and disabled neighbors during attacks. However, these grassroots efforts can only go so far in addressing the fundamental infrastructure deficiencies.
Ynet contributed to this article.
