Several Towns in Central Israel Evacuated Due to Raging Wildfires

Several towns in central Israel were evacuated on Wednesday as massive wildfires broke out, fueled by strong winds and extremely high temperatures. According to the Israeli Fire and Rescue Service, approximately 63 firefighting teams and 11 firefighting aircraft have been deployed to combat the spreading flames.

In an official statement, the Fire and Rescue Service announced that the settlements of Neveh Shalom, Beko'a, Ta'oz, Nachshon, and Mesilat Tzion were completely evacuated for safety reasons.

Dramatic footage shared on social media by Israeli citizens shows people fleeing the fires on foot along Route 1, the main highway leading to Jerusalem. Many cars were left stranded, as drivers faced the dilemma of either driving against traffic or abandoning their vehicles altogether. Most opted to escape on foot.

In response to the escalating situation, the Israeli government has formally requested international assistance. Cyprus, Italy, and Croatia have reportedly agreed to send firefighting aircraft within the next few hours to support Israel's firefighting efforts.

Israeli media described the blazes as "firestorms," citing wind speeds of up to 110 km/h. The extreme velocity of the winds is expected to accelerate the spread of the flames, making this incident one of the most severe and unusual wildfire events in recent Israeli history.