The Israeli military said it struck dozens of Hezbollah sites, including a command centre, in south Lebanon on Saturday in response to cross-border rocket fire
Israel today launched airstrikes on Lebanon, reportedly killing at least two people, including a child.
The attack, which Israel said was in retaliation for rockets targeting Israel, marks the heaviest exchange of fire since the ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Rockets had earlier been fired from Lebanon into Israel, for the second time since December, sparking concerns over whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.
However, speaking on condition of anonymity, as they are not authorized to speak to the media, The Associated Press reported that a Hezbollah official told them it was not responsible for the attack, calling it “primitive”.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, a spokesperson for the country’s health ministry’s emergency unit claimed: “The Israeli enemy strike on the town of Touline resulted… in the death of two people, including a girl, and the injury of eight others, including two children”. They added that the numbers were a “preliminary toll”.
The Israeli military said it struck dozens of Hezbollah sites, including a command centre, in south Lebanon on Saturday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “dozens of terror targets” to be targeted in response to cross-border rocket fire. They added they had earlier intercepted three rockets launched from a Lebanese district approximately four miles north of the border towards the Israeli town of Metula.
An army statement said: “In response to the rocket launch at Israel this morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz have instructed the (military) to act forcefully against dozens of terror targets in Lebanon.”
Netanyahu said Israel was holding Lebanon’s government responsible for “everything taking place within its territory.” He added: “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.”
Israel’s Defence Minister Katz added: “We cannot allow fire from Lebanon on Galilee communities. The Lebanese government is responsible for attacks from its territory. I have ordered the military to respond accordingly.” Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asked the Lebanese military to take all necessary measures in the south, but said the country did not want to return to war.
Saturday’s exchange of fire was the first since Israel effectively abandoned a separate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip with Palestinian militant group Hamas, who are an ally of Hezbollah and both backed by Iran. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza ignited the war there.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict boiled over into an all-out war in September as Israel carried out waves of airstrikes, which killed most of the militant group’s senior leaders. The fighting killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 60,000 Israelis.
Under the ceasefire reached in November, Israeli forces were supposed to withdraw from all Lebanese territory by late January. The deadline was then extended to February 18 by agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
But since then, Israel has remained in five locations in Lebanon, near communities in northern Israel, and has carried out dozens of airstrikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming it attacked Hezbollah. Lebanon has appealed to the United Nations to pressure Israel to fully withdraw from the country.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Israel said it would carry out operations in Gaza “with increasing intensity” until Hamas frees the 59 hostages it holds – 24 of who it believes are alive.
Israeli strikes fired late Friday night killed at least nine people, including three children, in a house in Gaza City, according to Al-Ahly Hospital, which says it received the bodies. Earlier the same day, Israel blew up the only specialized cancer hospital in the war-torn territory.
The Israeli military said it struck the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, accusing Hamas militants of operating on-site. Turkey, which helped build and fund the hospital, said Israeli troops at one point used it as a base.