Hezbollah Strikes Kiryat Shmona, Deep Inside Israel, “Defending Lebanon”

Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel on Tuesday, claiming the attack was carried out “in defense of Lebanon.” This came after Israeli forces had bombed numerous targets in southern Lebanon overnight. Hezbollah also targeted Israeli military bases, including the Megiddo military airport, the Ramat David air base near Haifa, and other strategic sites, with volleys of Fadi-1 and Fadi-2 rockets.

Earlier, 180 Hezbollah projectiles and an unmanned aerial vehicle crossed into Israeli airspace, triggering alarms and causing residents of Haifa to seek shelter. In response, Israel conducted further airstrikes on Lebanon, marking the deadliest bombardment since the 2006 war, which killed 492 people, including 35 children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Israel’s military confirmed that it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including areas around Ayta al-Shab and Ramyah, using artillery, tanks, and airpower. Throughout Tuesday morning, 110 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, igniting fires and damaging buildings. The largest rocket volley of 50 rockets targeted the Upper Galilee, with other attacks hitting areas south of Haifa.

In northern Israel, sirens blared, and explosions were reported along highways as civilians sought cover. The Galilee Medical Center treated two individuals with minor injuries from a rocket landing near their vehicle, while others sustained injuries rushing to shelters. Later, ten more rockets fired from Lebanon injured an Israeli reservist, with shrapnel hitting a road in northern Israel.

Monday’s Israeli air raids in Lebanon led to the deaths of 492 people, including 35 children, and injured over 1,600, with thousands of families fleeing their homes. Journalist Nazir Reda described widespread panic, with people evacuating to Beirut in numbers not seen since the 2006 conflict.

Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in near-daily cross-border skirmishes for nearly a year, following the escalation that began on October 7. Monday’s strikes were the largest since the 2006 war, which left 1,200 dead in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, primarily soldiers.

Israel has named its ongoing large-scale operations in Lebanon “Operation Northern Arrows,” having recently shifted its military focus from Gaza to Lebanon. The rapid escalation has alarmed global leaders, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing “grave alarm,” and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warning that the conflict is nearing a “full-fledged war.”

France and Egypt have called on the U.N. Security Council to intervene, while Iraq has requested an urgent meeting of Arab states in New York. Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced it was deploying additional U.S. military personnel to the Middle East after bolstering the region with warships, fighter jets, and air defense systems. A U.S. official indicated that Washington opposes a potential Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon and has proposed ideas to de-escalate the situation.

The G7 foreign ministers warned that “no country stands to gain” from an escalation, cautioning that a regional war could have “unimaginable consequences.”

The latest violence follows coordinated blasts of communication devices in southern Lebanon last week, which Hezbollah blamed on Israel. The blasts killed 39 people and injured nearly 3,000. Last Friday, an Israeli strike in southern Beirut killed Ibrahim Akil, a senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.

An Israeli military official stated that Israel’s goal is to “reduce threats” from Hezbollah, push the group back from the border, and dismantle its infrastructure. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the U.N. and global powers to stop what he described as Israel’s “plan to destroy Lebanese villages and towns.” He announced plans to fly to New York to appeal to world leaders for help in stopping the violence.