Israelis evacuated from the Lebanese border wonder if they’ll ever return

By MELANIE LIDMAN
Associated Press

KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel (AP) — Around 60,000 Israelis who evacuated from cities and towns along the border with Lebanon are grappling with the question of when they will be able to return home. Hezbollah began launching rockets towards Israel one day after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7. There have been near-daily exchanges along the Lebanon-Israel border as international mediators scramble to prevent an all-out war. Israel has a simple aim in Lebanon: to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border, either through a diplomatic agreement or by force. But little progress has been made, leaving residents in limbo, wondering if it will ever be safe to return.