Lebanon’s Hezbollah fires ‘dozens of rockets’ at Israeli positions | Israel Conflict on Gaza Information

Assaults by Iran-aligned group come as Israel anticipates an Iranian response to an air strike on its Syria consulate.

Hezbollah mentioned it has fired “dozens of rockets” at Israeli artillery positions in response to the Israeli navy’s strikes in southern Lebanon, in one in all its largest assaults for the reason that begin of the warfare on Gaza.

The Iran-aligned armed Lebanese group confirmed in a press release late on Friday that it launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at “enemy artillery positions” in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.

The rockets triggered sirens in a number of communities throughout Higher Galilee in northern Israel, with air defence missiles participating the incoming projectiles.

The Israeli navy mentioned “40 launches had been recognized from Lebanese territory, a few of which had been intercepted. The remainder fell in open areas.”

“That is numerous rockets and drones, one of many greatest barrages of the warfare to this point in Gaza,” mentioned Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.

“No accidents had been reported,” the Israeli navy mentioned, including that it had earlier intercepted two explosive-laden drones operated by Hezbollah that had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory late on Friday.

Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian group Hamas, and Israeli forces have been exchanging near-daily fireplace throughout the border for the reason that warfare in Gaza began on October 7. The group has mentioned it’ll cease its assaults on Israel after a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

Whereas the tit-for-tat assaults have largely remained confined to frame areas their frequency and depth have raised fears of a wider battle.

Reporting from Tyre in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem mentioned the present regional context makes the Hezbollah launches vital, however the location was essential as nicely.

“Hitting the Golan hasn’t been one thing regular on this confrontation,” he mentioned.

Hashem mentioned this exhibits “how the foundations of engagement on this confrontation are altering drastically” with assaults more and more hurting civilians in addition to navy targets, with greater than 60 Lebanese civilians killed in contrast with a number of on the Israeli aspect.

As tensions mount, Israel on Saturday launched no less than 5 air strikes in southeastern Lebanon, an space which is one in all Hezbollah’s strongholds, Hashem reported.

Israeli fighter jets focused a significant “navy compound” operated by Hezbollah, the air power mentioned on Saturday.

The most recent Hezbollah assault comes because the world anticipates an Iranian assault on Israel in retaliation for an air strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria that killed seven members of its armed forces together with two generals answerable for Lebanon and Syria operations.

The Israeli navy has mentioned it’s ready for an Iranian assault, with Overseas Minister Israel Katz warning Iran that if it makes use of its personal territory to launch assaults, Israel will assault inside Iran as nicely.

Israeli Minister of Protection Yoav Gallant mentioned Israel is ready to defend itself on the bottom and within the air, in shut cooperation with “our companions”, which means the USA.

“The state of affairs is escalating minute by minute and everyone seems to be anticipating what will be the subsequent step,” Hashem mentioned.