Israel’s Defense Ministry is actively assessing the damage inflicted on northern communities by Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon.
Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir visited Israeli towns and farms along the Lebanese border on Wednesday to determine the extent of the damage on behalf of the ministry’s “Northern Horizon” Directorate and to coordinate initial rehabilitation efforts in areas “where security conditions permit,” the ministry said.
Zamir was accompanied on the visit by the Head of the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council, Shimon Guetta, Deputy Director General and Head of the Planning Division at the Ministry of Defense, Itamar Graf, Head of the ‘Northern Horizon’ Directorate, Brig. Gen. (Res.) David Suissa, Commander of the Home Front in the Northern Command, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Alon Friedman and other senior officials.
The Director General commented during the visit that he is committed to ensuring the security and safe return of residents to their homes.
The Northern Horizon Directorate serves as a liaison between the IDF, the Ministry of Defense, and the regional councils in northern Israel. The program focuses on all the communities situated within nine kilometers of the northern border, excluding the Golan Heights, according to a ministry spokesperson.
Thus far, the directorate has identified 427 damaged houses, including 80 directly affected, meaning those that were directly struck by rockets and missiles.
More Hezbollah Rockets Fired, More IDF Attacks in Lebanon
Hezbollah has continued to launch rockets and anti-tank missiles at IDF troops and civilian communities in northern Israel.
The Red Alert incoming rocket siren was triggered twice in the northern town of Metula at around 1:45 pm Thursday. Several rockets were fired at Metula earlier in the day, the IDF said, adding that Israeli forces attacked the sources of the rocket fire.
During the morning hours, Hezbollah took responsibility for firing an anti-tank missile at the Mount Dov outpost on the northern border.
Two anti-tank missiles were fired at the IDF outposts in Hermon; the IDF responded by attacking the sources of the fire, Ynet reported.
Air Force fighter jets attacked terrorist infrastructure and military buildings used by Hezbollah in the villages of Ita al-Sha’ab, Beit Leaf and Beyda in southern Lebanon.
On Wednesday, rockets were fired from Lebanon toward the area of Yiftah, Ya’ara, and Hanita in northern Israel. Numerous launches were fired towards Metula as well. The IDF struck the sources of the launches.
No injuries were reported and the IDF struck the sources of fire.
IDF fighter jets subsequently struck a Hezbollah complex which consisted of a number of military compounds in the area of Rachaf in southern Lebanon, as well as Hezbollah infrastructure and military compounds in the towns of Ayta ash Shab, Beit Lif, and Blida in southern Lebanon.
IDF artillery also fired toward the area of Aalma El Chaeb and Aitaroun.
