Three people were wounded Thursday morning in a barrage of rockets, missiles and drones fired at northern Israel by Lebanon’s Iranian proxy, Hezbollah in response to the targeted assassination of a senior commander in the ranks.
The terrorist organization announced that its operatives launched more than 200 rockets and 20 drones “of various types” sites across the Galilee and Golan Heights, according to Qatari-owned Al Jazaeera news network.
A man in his early twenties sustained shrapnel wounds in the barrage and was airlifted to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa with shrapnel wounds, the hospital said.
In addition, two women in their twenties arrived at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, according to a spokesperson from the hospital Both were residents of the Akko area and were treated in the emergency room for minor injuries, possibly from running for cover during the attack. The hospital also treated a 44-year-old woman from Jit for sever anxiety.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement following the attack, “Approximately 200 projectiles and over 20 suspicious aerial targets were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, a number of which were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array and IAF fighter jets. The IAF struck Hezbollah military structures in the areas of Ramyeh and Houla in southern Lebanon.”
The attacks began at around 10:25 am with attacks targeting northern Israeli communities from east to west along the border with Lebanon with a non-stop barrage of drones, rockets and missiles that lasted for more than 40 minutes.
Most of the attacks were focused on the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee, but some areas in northwestern Israel, such as Rosh Hanikra, were targeted as well. The Druze Israeli city of Majdal Shams was targeted multiple times. At least one rocket struck the eastern shore of Lake Kinneret, south of the Golan Heights.
After a ten minute break, Hezbollah began firing again.
The second round of attacks focused more on northwestern Israel, with Red Alert sirens activating in Rosh Hanikra, Kibbutz Gesher Haziv, Nahariya, Akko, Lochamei HaGetaot and communities across the Upper Galilee, including Shlomi, Ein Yaacov, Sa’ar and Cabri.
Several rockets landed in the Mediterranean Sea.
Multiple interceptions by the Iron Dome aerial defense array were seen by residents in the ancient city of Tzfat. Falling shrapnel landed on the roof of the “old shopping mall” in Akko.
Two people were treated on scene for shock, according to the Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical response service.
One drone landed in the community of Ilania, causing some damage to an industrial site. Falling shrapnel from an Iron Dome interception started a fire in Katzrin.
In addition, multiple sites reported fires ignited by the impacts in open areas in the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee as a result of the heavy barrage.
Fire crews from the Galilee-Golan station with the assistance of the Nature and Parks Authority responded to fires that broke out in the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee following the attacks, according to Liran Greenberg, spokesperson for the Galilee-Golan regional fire and rescue station.
Route 87 from the Katsafiya junction to the Waterfall (Hapalim) junction was closed to traffic in both directions due to fires.
A few minutes before 12 noon, Red Alert alarm sirens warning of incoming combat drones were triggered in Kiryat Shmona, Maayan Baruch, Metula, Kfar Giladi, Margaliot, Beit Hillel, Kfar Yuval, Meshav Am, Menara and Tel Hai in the Upper Galilee.
