The head of the local council in northern Israel became emotional and broke down during a live television interview.
The mayor, who expressed sorrow on the same day, remarked that for the first time in history, "a city in the State of Israel has been lost," describing the situation as a "victory for Hezbollah."
The IDF Chief of Staff cautioned the security cabinet that severe manpower shortages could lead to the military "collapsing in on itself."