Iran’s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah unleashed a massive barrage of rockets aimed at northern Israel midday on Thursday, but that came amidst a day-long drizzle of rocket and anti-tank missile fire targeting Israeli civilians and soldiers.
An Israeli air strike damaged a house in southern Lebanon overnight, killing five Hezbollah operatives. Among the dead was Abbas Mohammed Ra’ed (also known as Sarraj Raed), the son of the chair of Hezbollah’s faction in the Lebanese Parliament — a death that Hezbollah vowed would not go unanswered.
Lebanese media sharing footage of the damaged house in Beit Yahoun in southern Lebanon that was targeted last night by the IDF.
Five Hezbollah operatives were killed in the strike, including the son of Hezbollah’s faction chairman in the Lebanese parliament. https://t.co/9VAZ6VIYt0 pic.twitter.com/lzaFlq1wGL
— Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) November 23, 2023
The rocket fire from Lebanon started Thursday morning at around 8:30 am and continued throughout the day in a clear escalation as the situation continues to heat up along the northern border.
Red Alert incoming rocket warning sirens were activated more than a dozen times during the morning and early afternoon hours in Arab al-Aramshe, Moshav Betzet, Shlomi, Kibbutz Sasa, Kibbutz Manara, Margaliot, Kiryat Shmona, the Meron Field School, Dalton, Gush Halav and elsewhere across the north.
Two homes in Kibbutz Manara were struck by anti-tank fire late in the morning hours, but no physical injuries were reported.
At around 12:30 pm, Hezbollah fired a particularly intense barrage of dozens of rockets towards northern Israel, the largest such barrage from Lebanon since the start of the war on October 7. Many were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system and others landed in open areas.
IDF soldiers returned artillery fire to the sources of the attacks. In one incident, IDF soldiers attacked an additional launcher using the “Iron Sting” weapon system.
Meet the Iron Sting: Israel’s Precise, Laser, GPS-Guided Mortar Munition
In addition, Hezbollah launched a number of anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) and mortar attacks at various locations along Israel’s border with Lebanon. The terrorist group claimed that it carried out four attacks against IDF military posts.
Israeli forces attacked the launchers from which the rocket and anti-tank missile fire emanated, the IDF said.
Earlier in the day, IDF aircraft opened fire after spotting an anti-tank missile cell near the area of Zarit in northern Israel, while IDF artillery simultaneously targeted the same cell.
Overnight, a surface-to-air missile was launched toward IDF aircraft in Lebanon. “The missile was successfully intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array,” the IDF. In response to the attack, IDF aircraft struck the launcher and a weapons storage post as well.
