Sports Artshelter ~ Kiryat Shmona~ Temple Sholom Israel

Kiryat Shmona (Hebrew: קריית שמונה, lit. ‘City of the Eight’) is a city in the Northern District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley near the Lebanese border.

In 2023 it had a population of 24,254. Located near the Israel–Lebanon border, Kiryat Shmona is Israel’s northernmost city.

In the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, the city was evacuated due to attacks by Hezbollah and Palestinian factions from Southern Lebanon. During the war, there were 129 siren alerts throughout the city: 13 in the first month  of the war, 15 in the second month,  and 18 in the third month.

Buildings in Kiryat Shmona after a Hezbollah attacks during the Gaza war
The city was significantly damaged due to Hezbollah missile attacks, with the attacks causing damage to infrastructure and fires that have decimated the nearby area. Nearly all of Kiryat Shmona’s inhabitants were evacuated to other areas of Israel as part of the conflict, with about 2,000 residents remaining in the city as of July 2024. Hezbollah attacks damaged 383 buildings and killed two people. In the aftermath of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and subsequent ceasefire, residents began to return. However, as of late February, 2025, an estimated 80% of residents remained scattered across the country.