Reporters Notebook: Protecting the home front in northern Israel - exclusive

In the once-green forests around the northern city of Safed, some of the soil is now covered with black ash from recent fires. The trees are in varying degrees of distress from being burned in the last several weeks. The fires started due to Hezbollah rocket fire and also the heat that swept Israel in June, which came close to the city.

Safed is home to the Northern Command. This important base is on one of the hills that make up the sprawling neighborhoods of the city. From there, one can look out in a panorama, with a view toward Lebanon on one side, and a short drive away, a view toward Mount Meron and other parts of the Galilee. This is the canvas of the landscape that Hezbollah seeks to target. It has fired some 5,000 rockets, drones, and missiles at Israel in eight months of attacks.

Today Lt.-Col Eran Salmon, commander in the Home Front Command at the IDF’s Northern Command is one of the key high-ranking officers working to protect civilians in northern Israel and provide the maximum support they need during this difficult time.

As we sit at a bench near his office in Northern Command, he describes the challenges. Around 80,000 Israelis were evacuated from their homes when Hezbollah began its attacks in October. Although an estimated 20%-30% have returned home, most will not return until there is quiet in the North. Recent weeks have brought expectations of war.

Salmon deals with many of the issues the locals face. The agricultural workers, for instance, are still going back to their orchards, or to deal with cows and chickens near the border.

He has been here since October 7, along with many reservists who were called up when the war began.  The Home Front Command has helped communities and areas that require bunkers and shelters against attacks. Northern Israel was often on the front line in previous wars going back to the 1940s. However, in recent years it has become clear that they do not have adequate defenses. Some of the shelters are old, or as communities expanded, the older shelters became less relevant as people do not have the time to run to them. Rocket and artillery barrages were different in the 1970s than today. Today, Hezbollah has precision rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles.

“We have defenses against the rockets and threats. Our responsibility is to provide shelter to all the places they work,” the lieutenant-colonel says about those who must enter areas near the border that are under threat. Supporting this kind of infrastructure is a key to the Home Front’s work. This also includes other types of infrastructure that provide basic services.

“The people are brave and we have to send technicians to fix things under the threat of Hezbollah.”

The Home Front Command also coordinates closely with the fire departments to make sure that fire services can respond quickly when there are fires from rockets and other projectiles. This includes coordinating with fire-fighting aircraft. However, due to the threats from Hezbollah, the commander and the IDF have decided when it is safe to let the fire services enter areas to fight the blazes.

THIS IS a different kind of war from those in the past. It has dragged on for more than eight months. Unlike the month-long war against Hezbollah back in 2006 or other wars such as 1967 and 1973, the country now faces a major challenge.

“I think we understand we are in the most critical situation since the 1948 War of Independence. I call it the ‘Second War of Independence.’ It’s so important we do the job in a professional way. This is our motivation and country. We have a secret weapon. We don’t have anywhere to go,” says Salmon.

He insists that despite the growing threat, Israel was prepared and had been preparing for this conflict. Indeed, Israel believed that a war in the North was more likely than in the South before October 7.

However, this kind of war, with rocket fire every day in small amounts in different places, and also precision attack drones, is different than what was likely expected. The officer doesn’t speak about this issue and other sensitive issues. Was it a mistake that Israel evacuated the border area in an unprecedented decision?

The bigger picture in war

“No, when you see kids living around bombing their behavior is challenging,” he says. He points to members of his own family who were evacuated. He knows how important it is. “I think that every decision we have made here was correct. People sometimes don’t see the big picture.”

Israel has learned many lessons from 2006, the commander says. It is very professional and he speaks about high motivation among the soldiers here. He says that after eight months, those coming to work and doing their work continue to come with high spirits as if these were the first days of the war.

The Home Front Command is dealing with a plethora of issues today. Lt.-Col. Salmon says they can protect against the Hezbollah threats and that they are putting shelters where necessary. These shelters, known as “miguniot,” can be seen on the side of the roads in places like Hurfeish and other areas, newly painted and clearly provided in the last half year as the threat has expanded. The command works with locals and audits the area they work in to make sure they bring shelters where needed.

The Home Front Command also supports the local security teams, or “kitot konenut,” that protect communities in the North. These groups are drawn from locals in the various communities who serve as reservists now. That means they have the uniforms and standard issued rifles that are common in units in the army.

Most of the units consist of men in their forties or fifties, who do guard duty and train to protect their communities. Because these are their own homes and communities they know the area they are protecting. However, October 7 showed that these units need to do more than just train every once in a while. They need to be ready for war and act as individual units, like a platoon of soldiers, to be effective.

They also need the proper gear, from enough ammunition to night vision and modern rifle sights. In the Galilee, some of the units have adopted a unique esprit de corps, designing their patches and shirts. The Home Front is supporting these units.

“We do our best to provide as much as possible for the security teams. In the end, the communication is strong. They understand we do the best we can to provide for them so they will be protected,” said the lieutenant-colonel..