Rows of tanks, closed shops: Israel's North prepares for war

On the third day of war between Hamas and Israel, residents of northern Israel were rushing to evacuate towns near the Lebanese border and buying essentials in preparation for a possible escalation.

As in much of the country, an eerie silence prevailed throughout the north, broken only by the rain showers periodically breaking over the area.

Driving up from central Israel, there was relatively little traffic on what is usually one of Israel’s busiest highways, Highway 6. On both sides of the road, tanks and military bulldozers on carriers headed to the southern and northern border.

At what would usually be rush hours, shopping centers in Acre and Nahariya were largely closed. Those few who were there to grab essentials in preparation for the coming days and weeks shopped quietly, without the usual bustle.

In Acre, the only active business was the grocery store, where dozens of people could be seen stocking up on food and essentials.

'It feels exactly like the Yom Kippur War.'

While most shoppers preferred not to talk, an elderly man from Kiryat Shmona said he had come to Acre to stay with his daughter.

“It feels exactly like the Yom Kippur War,” the man said to The Jerusalem Post. “There’s nothing to feel.”

While driving around Nahariya, rows upon rows of tanks and armored vehicles with soldiers perched on top lined up in ready to head north when needed.

A day later, the situation in the North continues to heat up. At least 15 rockets were fired from Lebanon, prompting IDF artillery fire toward Hezbollah observation posts.

Later in the evening, an anti-tank missile targeted an IDF vehicle near Avivim. In response, an IDF helicopter fired at another Hezbollah observation post.