On Sunday, Hezbollah launched over 100 rockets targeting northern Israel, with some striking near Haifa. The attacks were said to be in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, which had killed dozens, including a senior Hezbollah commander, and targeted the group’s communication systems. The escalation led to warnings of an “open-ended battle of reckoning” by Hezbollah, as the region moved closer to all-out war.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that Israeli strikes near the border resulted in three fatalities and four injuries, though it was not clarified whether they were civilians or combatants. Air raid sirens across northern Israel forced hundreds of thousands into shelters, with one rocket hitting near a residential building in Kiryat Bialik, wounding at least three people and causing fires in buildings and cars.
A Hezbollah leader’s remarks, which included a vow to inflict pain on Israel, were delivered during the funeral of a top commander. It was indicated that the rocket barrage was just the beginning, and that Hezbollah intended to further harm Israel’s economy.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that whatever actions were required to restore security in the north would be taken. The military claimed it had hit approximately 400 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours, including rocket launchers, and had reportedly prevented a larger attack.