Journalists and security officers rushed for shelter in the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona on Monday (March 23) as a Hezbollah rocket hit a hill above the town shortly after a visit by President Isaac Herzog

During his visit to the town that has been a frequent target to Hezbollah rocket attacks, Herzog told the mayor and local officials that "We can't go back to the same ceasefire situation from a year ago," adding that Israel must make sure that there is "a strategic depth inside Lebanon."

Earlier on Monday, Israel's finance minister said that Israel should extend its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River deep inside the country's south, as Israeli troops bombed bridges and destroyed homes in the area in an escalating military assault.

Lebanon was pulled into the regional war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel. Since then, Israel has ordered all residents to leave the area south of the Litani River as it pummels the area with air strikes, viewing it as a Hezbollah stronghold.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PEOPLE RUNNING FOR SHELTER IN THE ISRAELI BORDER TOWN OF KIRYAT SHMONA AS SIREN SOUNDS/ ROCKET HIT TO HILLTOP/ ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG VISIT TO TOWN/ ANOTHER SITE WHERE A ROCKET HIT

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: KIRYAT SHMONA, ISRAEL (MARCH 23, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. ISRAELI REPORTER, OTHER PEOPLE RUNNING FOR SHELTER FROM A HEZBOLLAH ROCKET HIT SITE AS NEW SIREN SOUNDS (AUDIO: SIREN)/ SOUND OF EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE RISING FROM A HILLTOP

2. ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG AND HIS WIFE MICHAL GREETING LOCAL OFFICIALS

3. VARIOUS OF HERZOG WALKING INTO MEETING WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS

4. HERZOG AND WIFE TAKING SEATS

5. KIRYAT SHMONA'S MAYOR AVICHAI STERN GREETING HERZOG

6. HERZOG

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG SAYING:

“This campaign is critical. It is clear to all of us that we can't go back to the same ceasefire situation from a year ago because we must make sure that there's a strategic depth inside Lebanon, that there's what they call a buffer, a clear division as well as to bring a geo-strategic change that is part of a diplomatic negotiation in regard to Lebanon."

8. LOCAL OFFICIALS IN MEETING WITH HERZOG

9. SIREN SOUNDING SHORTLY AFTER HERZOG'S VISIT (AUDIO: SIREN)

10. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUS, ISRAELI SECURITY AND RESCUE TEAMS AT SITE OF HEZBOLLAH ROCKET THAT HIT SHORTLY AFTER HERZOG'S VISIT