Israelis entered Passover this week under sustained fire, as missile and drone attacks from Lebanon and Iran disrupted the holiday and sent families repeatedly rushing for cover.

According to Israeli reports, Hezbollah launched over 100 rockets and drones at Israel from the start of the holiday, with most of the fire directed at communities in the Galilee Panhandle. The attacks continued into Thursday, extending what had already been a tense and fractured holiday evening for millions of Israelis.

In Kiryat Shmona on Thursday morning, direct hits on a building left two men, ages 85 and 34, lightly wounded. Property damage was also substantial. One private home in the city was heavily damaged, while another strike hit a McDonald’s branch at Gan HaTzafon near Kibbutz HaGoshrim.

Later in the day, additional rockets were fired toward the Haifa area and Acre. No casualties or direct impacts were reported in that round.

Night of celebration and sirens

The most jarring moment came on April 1, just as Israelis were preparing to sit down for the Passover Seder. At 5:19 p.m., air raid sirens sounded across parts of the country as missiles were launched from both Iran and Lebanon.

Iran reportedly fired at least 10 missiles in multiple waves through the night, causing damage in several locations. In central Israel, bomblets from cluster munitions struck apartment buildings in Rosh HaAyin and Ramat Gan in separate incidents. In Petach Tikvah, a playground was left badly damaged. Another Hezbollah rocket landed in an open area near Hadera.

For many civilians, the evening did not end with the Seder table. Through the night, residents in central and northern Israel were repeatedly awakened by fresh sirens and new alerts.

On the battlefield instead of at the Seder table

Ahead of the holiday, IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel’s air defense systems had been deployed nationwide, while warning the public not to assume full protection. He urged civilians to continue following Home Front Command instructions, noting that Israel’s defenses, while extensive, are not airtight.

Defrin also pointed to the burden being carried by soldiers serving across multiple fronts during the holiday, many of them away from home and family as they remained on duty.

“Many of your loved ones are not celebrating the holiday with you. Be proud of them. They are acting with dedication, determination, and responsibility for the security of the State of Israel,” said Defrin. “I also want to address the children of Israel—dear children, some of your mothers and fathers are not with you this holiday evening. Know that they are protecting you. They are a generation of lions, heroes and heroines.”

On Thursday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah would face a severe response for targeting Israeli civilians on the eve of Passover, underscoring once again the reality Israel knows too well: even its holiest nights are now measured not only by ritual, but by response time to the nearest shelter.

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