Hezbollah Claims Firing ‘Dozens’ of Rockets at Northern Israel

Hezbollah launched anti-aircraft missiles at Israeli aircraft over southern Lebanon, effectively pushing them back across the border. This military action came after Hezbollah had targeted northern Israel with rockets the previous Thursday, retaliating against a lethal Israeli assault on a southern Lebanese village earlier in the week. This assault had marked Hezbollah’s initial response following the death of a high-ranking commander by Israeli forces.

In a public declaration, Hezbollah stated it fired multiple Katyusha rockets as a direct response to the Israeli operation that resulted in civilian casualties in the village of Shamaa.

The Israeli military reported that it had targeted the specific Hezbollah launcher used in the rocket attack shortly thereafter.

On that same Thursday, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced the deaths of four Syrian nationals, victims of the Israeli strike in southern Lebanon—a region that has seen frequent exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since the Gaza conflict erupted in October.

According to the Health Ministry, these casualties might increase once DNA testing is completed. Additionally, the strike injured five Lebanese individuals.

Local emergency services identified the deceased as agricultural workers from the same family.

Witnesses and a photographer at the scene reported significant smoke and damage at the strike location, which destroyed nearby buildings and a vehicle.

This violent episode marked Hezbollah’s first major retaliatory move since the assassination of their top commander, Fouad Shukur, by Israel on Tuesday. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stated that their operations would continue from Friday morning, emphasizing the necessity to respond to Shukur’s killing.

The death of Shukur was closely followed by another significant incident—the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which both Iran and Hamas attribute to Israeli forces, though Israel has not commented on the incident.

The conflict, ongoing since October, has resulted in at least 542 deaths on the Lebanese side, comprising both fighters and civilians, and the death of 47 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, as per reported figures.