Fire in Be'er Ya'akov Area Causes Major Train Disruptions and Multiple Wildfires in Israel

A fire that broke out Sunday morning near Be'er Ya'akov led Israel Railways to temporarily halt train services between Lod, Rehovot, and Ashkelon, as well as between Lod and Rishon Lezion HaRishonim. Delays and route changes affected stations including Ashkelon, Ashdod Ad Halom, Yavne Mizrah, Be'er Ya'akov, Lod, and Rishon Lezion HaRishonim.

The previous day, dozens of firefighting teams battled two major fires. In the West Bank's Samaria region, a blaze near the settlement of Kedumim spread toward Givat Gilad farm, destroying 13 homes, including that of Yael Shevach, widow of Rabbi Raziel Shevach who was killed in a 2018 shooting attack. Residents were evacuated amid suspicions of arson.

Simultaneously, firefighters worked to contain a forest fire near Shamsheet in the Jezreel Valley. Twelve firefighting aircraft and ground crews from the Fire and Rescue Services and the Jewish National Fund were deployed. Initial evacuation orders for homes near the fire were lifted after it was deemed no longer a direct threat, though residents were advised to shelter indoors due to heavy smoke.

After hours of intense efforts, firefighters gained control over the Samaria fire. Forty-five firefighting teams, supported by a helicopter and eight firefighting planes conducting aerial water drops, combated the flames alongside ground operations. Two firefighters sustained moderate and minor injuries during the response.