Israel retaliated on Saturday with a wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on dozens of rocket launchers and a Hezbollah command center following a barrage of rockets from Lebanon, the first major rocket attack on northern Israel since December 2024.
Israeli artillery fire was also reported, as was automatic weapons fire, according to the Lebanon National News Agency.
Six rockets were fired at the northern city of Metula; three were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Array and three others misfired and landed instead in southern Lebanon. There were no reports of injuries or damage in the attack.
“The rocket fire launched this morning (Saturday) toward the Galilee constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and is a direct threat to the citizens of the State of Israel. The State of Lebanon bears responsibility for upholding the agreement,” the IDF said in a statement.
In response to the morning attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to “act with force” against terrorist targets in Lebanon.
“The Government of Lebanon is the party responsible for everything taking place within its territory,” the Prime Minister’s Office noted.
“Israel will not allow any harm to its citizens and its sovereignty, and will do everything in its power to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel and the communities of the North,” the PMO added.
Despite the immediate military response to the attack, about eight percent of Metula residents left the town after the attack, according to Metula Mayor David Azoulai.
“The return of residents to Metula under the curren conditions is unreasonable,” Azoulai said in a statement. “Metula residents won’t be held hostage to a security compromise.”
Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack.
