Metula
Israels northernmost town, on the Lebanese border, exposed to Hezbollah rocket fire since October 2023.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026
Will Metulas evacuated residents ever be able to return safely?
Latest on Metula
- What is Metula?
- Metula is Israels northernmost town, founded in 1896 on the Lebanese border opposite Kfar Kila. It was almost entirely evacuated after Hezbollah began rocket and drone attacks in October 2023 following the Gaza war outbreak.
- Is Metula safe to return to?
- As of early 2026, Metula remains largely evacuated. Civilian return has been held up by ongoing security assessments and the unresolved status of Hezbollah forces near the border. The Israeli government has made return conditional on establishing a secure northern buffer.
- Why was Metula targeted by sirens during the Iran missile attack?
- During a major Iranian missile barrage in 2026, air-raid sirens sounded across Israel including Metula, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. At least 11 Iranian missiles penetrated defences in central Israel, and the IDF was investigating gaps in coverage.Source: Haaretz
- How far is Metula from Lebanon?
- Metula sits directly on the Lebanese border with no buffer distance; the Lebanese village of Kfar Kila begins immediately on the other side of the fence. The towns single access road passes through the Good Fence crossing into Lebanese territory.
- What is the Good Fence crossing?
- The Good Fence (Hebrew: HaGeder HaTova) is a border crossing near Metula that was used from 1976 to 2000 for Lebanese civilians to cross into Israel for work and medical care. It was closed when Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000 and sits at the heart of the contested northern border zone.
Background
Metula is Israels northernmost town, situated directly on the Lebanese border opposite Kfar Kila. Founded in 1896 as one of the first Zionist agricultural settlements, it sits in the narrow finger of the Upper Galilee panhandle. Its single access road runs through Lebanese territory at the Good Fence crossing, making it uniquely vulnerable during any northern escalation. The town is administered as a local council with a population of around 2,000 residents before the conflict.
Since October 2023, Metula has been among the Israeli communities most exposed to Hezbollah rocket and drone fire, forcing the near-total evacuation of its civilian population. During a major Iranian missile barrage, sirens sounded across Metula and the north alongside Tel Aviv and Jerusalem . The escalation triggered a nationwide school shutdown that affected remaining frontier communities .
Metula embodies the unresolved tension at the heart of the northern front: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations inside southern Lebanon have degraded Hezbollah infrastructure, yet civilian return to towns like Metula remains blocked. Whether the Ceasefire architecture and the Hezbollah Disarmament Requirement can hold long enough for residents to come back is the open question defining life on the Lebanese border.
