Quiet dominates Israel’s northern border amid ceasefire

Reporter's notebook: Although the border is quiet there is uncertainty.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN FEBRUARY 3, 2025 17:59 Updated: FEBRUARY 3, 2025 18:19

The Israel-Lebanon border. A cement wall protects people in Israel from Hezbollah attacks while in the distance the snow-capped Hermon mountain can be seen. (photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)

Along Israel’s northern border there is a road that was once too dangerous to drive during a year of Hezbollah attacks on Israel. Now the roads near the border are giving birth to a new era of quiet. They are not bustling with traffic.

However, the blossoms on some trees have already begun to arrive, early for spring, as if to say that the land is ready for a rebirth of hope in the wake of war. I drove along part of the border on February 3, visiting areas I had visited during the war, and to see the changes.

Hezbollah began its attacks on northern Israel on October 8, 2023, the day after the Hamas attack. For some nine months it fired more than 7,500 rockets at Israel and launched hundreds of kamikaze drones. The area along the border became a war zone. Some 60,000 Israelis were evacuated. Families left small communities they had called home. I remember going to Shtula, which is on the border across from Ayta ash Shab.

The Israeli community was emptying out in October. What was left were some men from the local security team. They described how they had lived there for decades under Hezbollah threats, and the threat of Palestinian terror before that. This time was different. 

Today the hills between Shtula and other border communities such as Sasa, are quiet. In fact it’s so quiet here that nature seems to be ready to reclaim some of the border roads. These areas were damaged by armored vehicles hastily brought up during the war to defend the border.

IDF operatives in Lebanon, February 3, 2025. (credit: IDF)

Later the IDF began ground operations in Lebanon on October 1, 2024. A ceasefire deal began on November 27, 2024. It was supposed to last an initial 60 days and then the IDF was supposed to withdraw from Lebanon. However, the withdrawal has been postponed until February 18. 

Along the border there are cement walls, some of them added during the war, some of them old from previous conflicts. They protect against Hezbollah anti-tank missile fire. There are also a large number of jackals that have come out to run along the near-deserted roads near the border.

However, this desertion now only affects the area directly on the border. In areas like Sasa, there are people and people are returning to the border. Slowly everything could return to normal. However, today the feeling is that there are still things to be done.

The fact is that although the border is quiet there is uncertainty. During the war Hezbollah used villages near the border to attack Israel. Threats were common in areas across the border from places like Shtula. Today villages such as Ayta ash Shab appear to still be deserted on the other side.

IDF continues operations 

Lebanese have not returned to many areas and pressure is growing in Lebanon to have them return. The IDF continues to operate on the other side. The IDF said on February 3 that  “the 769th and 7th brigades are continuing defensive activities in southern Lebanon, in accordance with the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and to preserve operational achievements in the area.”

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The IDF said that the 769th “located several weapons storage facilities containing mortar shells, missiles, rockets, explosives, firearms, and a large amount of military equipment. All weapons were confiscated, and the storage facilities were dismantled.”

This illustrates that there is still a challenge along the border. For me it was a special experience to be able to return to the border area and feel more safe than in the past. When I was in Shtula in October 2023 an anti-tank missile had hit a civilian vehicle. Driving around the area one felt exposed to enemy fire.

When I went back several times during the fighting in October and November 2024 to border areas near Sasa and the Christian town of Jish, there was a sense that although the IDF was operating on the other side of the border, the Hezbollah threat still loomed. At that time rockets were fired frequently.

Interceptions caused shrapnel to fall at one point near where I was driving and a fire was started. Today that area of trees is a rust color, the trees burned and dead. However, in areas near the trees there are blossoms on trees. This is the contrast of the scars of war and nature’s desire to begin anew.

For people who live in the Israeli border communities, they also suffered the scars of war and want to grow again in this region.