Israel's Security Cabinet updated its war objectives to include safely returning northern residents, intensifying efforts amid ongoing Hezbollah threats. The evacuation of the north, around 60,000 people in numerous small communities and the city of Kiryat Shmona, was apparently not a goal of the war effort until now. It remains a key question why returning the residents to the north wasn't always a goal. Israel's goals now include returning hostages, returning evacuees from the north, and reducing Hamas' military and governing capabilities.