Hamas alleges rocket barrage from Lebanon into northern Israel

On Monday, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, launched a series of rockets from southern Lebanon targeting a northern Israeli military command center. This attack is part of ongoing hostilities near the Lebanon-Israel border that have persisted for nearly seven months, involving daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, all occurring against the backdrop of Israel’s conflict with Gaza.

The Qassam Brigades announced on Telegram that this action was in retaliation for what they called “the massacres of the Zionist enemy (Israel)” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In response, the Israeli military reported intercepting most of the approximately 20 rockets launched from Lebanon and conducted strikes on the launch sites. They confirmed that there were no injuries or damage from the rockets.

Following the rocket barrage, an Israeli drone struck the town of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon. In a separate incident, Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers at the Ruweisat al-Alam post in the occupied Kfarshouba Hills.

The rocket attack by Hamas coincided with their negotiators’ anticipated arrival in Egypt to discuss Israel’s latest truce proposal for Gaza, which includes discussions on hostage releases.

This recent violence follows several significant incidents. On April 21, the Qassam Brigades also claimed responsibility for a rocket attack into northern Israel. Earlier in the year, a U.S.-reported Israeli strike in January killed Hamas’ deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri and six militants in south Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. In March, another Israeli strike killed a Hamas operative near the Rashidiyeh Palestinian refugee camp in Tyre, while a Hamas official narrowly escaped a drone strike near Souairi in the Bekaa Valley.

The cross-border conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with at least 385 people killed in Lebanon, including militants and 73 civilians, and further casualties on the Israeli side, including 11 soldiers and nine civilians. Tens of thousands have been displaced due to the ongoing violence.