A Hezbollah drone exploded near the northern Israeli community of Beit Hillel, wounding four people Sunday evening, including one person moderately and three others lightly, as attacks from Lebanon continued despite a ceasefire.
Earlier, air raid sirens sounded in the northern city of Ma’alot for the first time since the truce took effect last month. Sirens were also heard repeatedly in Kiryat Shmona and in Safed, where residents rushed to protected spaces.
Air defenses activated over Safed, northern Israel
(Video: Meilech Gerstel)
Earlier Sunday, sirens sounded in Nahariya and Acre, while preliminary alerts also issued in the Haifa Bay area. A fire also broke out in the Tel Dan nature reserve.
Sirens also sounded throughout the day in smaller communities along the confrontation line, where schools will remain closed Monday under stricter Home Front Command guidelines that took effect Saturday.
During the afternoon, the IDF reported that some rockets fell in open areas while others were intercepted, and a “suspicious aerial target” crashed near Beit Hillel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that security would return to residents of northern Israel, but added that “it will take more time.” He spoke after the military announced the capture of Beaufort Castle, a move he described as “a dramatic stage and a dramatic change in policy.”
The Education Ministry earlier Sunday announced it was postponing matriculation exams scheduled this week in northern communities because of the security situation. All exams planned from May 31 to June 5 will not be held in the affected areas.
The decision applies to communities along the confrontation line, as well as Karmiel, Acre, Safed and the communities of Or HaGanuz, Meron, Bar Yohai, Safsufa, Yesud HaMa’ala, Kisra-Sumei, Beit Jann, Sde Eliezer, Abu Snan, Bi’ina, Jadeidi-Makr, Julis, Deir al-Asad, Hatzor HaGlilit, Tuba-Zangariyye, Yanuh-Jat, Yarka, Kafr Yasif, Majd al-Krum, Mazra’a, Nahf, Sajur and Rama.
Under the decision, the history matriculation exam scheduled for Monday, June 1, will not take place, and students’ internal school grades will determine their final marks. The Arabic exam for Arabic-speaking students scheduled for June 2 also will not be held, with internal grades used instead.
The ministry also said five-unit elective matriculation exams scheduled for June 4 are postponed for now. The ministry’s examinations department will later issue details on alternative dates or other arrangements. The affected subjects include biotechnology, construction, electronics and computers, hair design fundamentals, marine sciences and computer science.
“There are no matriculation exams under fire. That is my policy,” Education Minister Yoav Kisch said. “Matriculation exams are meant to test knowledge, abilities and academic achievement, not coping with anxiety and certainly not with security risk.”
Kisch said decisions about the rest of the exam period would be made weekly to give students, parents and educators as much certainty as possible while preserving flexibility in a changing security reality.
First published: 18:42, 05.31.26