Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah is working hard to prompt Israel’s military to begin its promised retaliation against the terror army for Saturday’s rocket attack on the Druze village of Majdal Shams. Twelve children were killed in that attack, and more than 30 others were wounded, including around a dozen who were listed in critical condition at various hospitals.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have each vowed a “harsh” response.
Just two days later, an Israeli man was killed Tuesday afternoon when a Hezbollah rocket landed in the yard of his home in Kibbutz HaGoshrim.
Shortly thereafter, another rocket scored a direct hit in the northern Israeli community of Beit Hillel. No physical injuries were reported.
Fires broke out in three separate places in the Upper Galilee following one of the multiple barrages from Lebanon. Six fire teams from the Galilee-Golan station are fighting fires in the areas of Beit Hillel, Kibbutz HaGoshrim and other areas. The firefighters are working together with the Nature and Parks Authority and emergency response teams to stop the spread of the fires.
“We hold the Lebanese government responsible for every rocket launched from its territory,” the IDF said after a man was killed during a rocket attack Tuesday afternoon, as Hezbollah continued to launch drone swarms and rocket barrages at the Upper Galilee, including at Kiryat Shmona and surrounds.
The terror army continued to launch rockets and drones following the initial barrage Tuesday, with Red Alert incoming sirens warning residents in Metula, Gosher, Rager, Dan, Dafna, Snir, Kfar Yuval, Manara, Beit Hillel, Margaliot, Misgav Am, Kfar Giladi, Tel Hai and Mayan Baruch, in addition to Kiryat Shmona and Kibbutz HaGoshrim.
“We are capable of striking military facilities in Haifa, the Golan, and Ramat David harshly and violently. We do not expect a ground invasion, even a limited one, of Lebanon, but we are in a state of full readiness,” a Hezbollah official told Al Jazeera.
“A ground invasion of Lebanon would be a catalyst for us to set our first foot in Galilee. If Israel carries out a ground operation, we will liberate the Golan Heights with an invasion,” the source said.
More than a dozens countries have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon while it is still possible, and several embassies have begun evacuation plans. Numerous airlines have suspended their flights to and from Lebanon’s international airport in anticipation of the impending conflict.
The Upper Galilee Regional Council on Tuesday afternoon ordered residents in eight kibbutzim who were not evacuated to stay near protected areas, reduce traffic in the community and avoid gatherings, following the rocket barrage. “Also, the pools in these kibbutzim must be closed,” the Council said, according to Ynet.
The IDF meanwhile attacked the sources of the rocket fire, across the border from Kiryat Shmona, with heavy artillery. Earlier in the day, the IAF struck Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the area of Jibchit in southern Lebanon. Overnight, the IDF struck approximately 10 Hezbollah terror targets in seven different areas in southern Lebanon.
There were also reports that Israeli warplanes were breaking the sound barrier in flyovers in the skies above Beirut and other areas.
Hezbollah announced in response that ” the fighters of the air defense units in the Islamic Resistance … confronted hostile Zionist warplanes that broke the sound barrier over Lebanese airspace, forcing them to retreat and withdraw behind the borders to occupied Palestine.”
There was no confirmation of the claim.
