A heavy rocket barrage launched Monday by Hezbollah toward the northern city of Kiryat Shmona left several people wounded and caused widespread damage.

Emergency services reported that one of the rockets struck near a parked bus, injuring three individuals. The bus driver, a man in his 50s, was seriously hurt and evacuated by helicopter to Ziv Medical Center. An 80-year-old sustained light facial injuries from shrapnel, and another person was treated for shock.

Rabbi Yigal Tzipori, a shliach in the city, was also near the impact. His car was hit by shrapnel, but he himself was only lightly injured.

In an interview with Channel 14, Rabbi Tzipori described how events unfolded moments before the explosion.

“We had just finished at the soup kitchen and were on our way to deliver food packages when the siren went off,” he said. “I pulled over near the intersection, which is exactly where the shrapnel later landed. A bus driver behind me started honking, so I moved forward to let him pass. Looking back, that’s what saved me.”

The same driver who urged him on was the one critically injured in the blast.

Describing the aftermath, Rabbi Tzipori said the scene was disorienting. “I got out of the car and started running. I don’t clearly remember what happened in those moments—whether I was pushed by the blast or someone pulled me to safety.”

He noted that he is still experiencing ringing in his ears and suffered pain in his back or shoulder.

Reflecting afterward, Rabbi Tzipori pointed to what he called clear Divine protection.

“It’s an open miracle,” he said. “Kiryat Shmona is a city that lives with miracles. The Rebbe gave a special blessing for this place, writing that it is ‘a city and a mother in Israel,’ with Hashem’s watchful care at all times.”

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