White mountain, empty slopes: First snow falls on Israel's war-torn Hermon

Mount Hermon woke up to its first snowfall of the season today, with a pristine seven-centimeter blanket coating its upper slopes. But only soldiers witnessed nature's winter show at Israel's highest peak.

The Hermon, usually a bustling winter playground and economic lifeline for Israel's north, stands eerily quiet. Its snow-covered slopes, typically filled with the laughter of ski enthusiasts and families building snowmen, now serve as a silent witness to the ongoing conflict below.

"The mountain looks beautiful, but our hearts are heavy," says Raphael Nave, Hermon's CEO. Where families would normally be scrambling for their first ski runs of the season, the site remains a closed military zone as war continues along the Lebanese border.

The closure has devastated the region's economy. Some 300 resort employees sit idle at home, while nearby towns like Majdal Shams and Mas'ade, usually bustling with winter tourists, stand quiet. Instead of scanning the slopes for fresh powder, residents now scan the skies for incoming rockets.

For now, Israel's winter wonderland remains a closed military zone, its fresh snow witnessed only by soldiers on patrol.

Kann News and The Times of Israel contributed to this article.