In a significant escalation of tensions between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group with close ties to Iran, launched a barrage of Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army headquarters in northern Israel. The attack, claimed by Hezbollah as retaliation for Israeli raids on villages in southern Lebanon, marks a dangerous intensification of cross-border violence.
According to reports from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), approximately 35 rockets were fired from Lebanon into the area of Ein Zeitim in northern Israel. There were no reported injuries, as the IDF swiftly responded by targeting the sources of the rocket launches, reportedly located in the area of Arzoun in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, in a statement, declared that it targeted “the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 91st Division at Ein Zeitim Base with dozens of Katyusha rockets” in response to Israeli attacks on southern Lebanese villages and civilian homes, citing recent strikes in Srifa, Odaisseh, and Rab Tlatin.
This exchange of fire comes amidst heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, with Hezbollah, acting as an Iranian proxy, increasing its attacks on Israeli military targets across the border since Hamas’s October 7 attack, which triggered a conflict in Gaza.
The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes on the aforementioned villages on Monday, further exacerbating the situation in the region. The ongoing violence has resulted in a significant toll on both sides, with at least 376 people killed in Lebanon since October 7, predominantly Hezbollah fighters but also including 70 civilians, according to AFP. On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been reported killed.
