Islamic militants operating in southern Lebanon fired at least 15 rockets from the Arqub area on Friday at the northern part of Israel. About 10 missiles launched from multiple launch rocket launchers were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, informs Al Hadath TV channel citing Israeli military sources. According to him, the militants tried to strike at an Israeli military base located in the area of the Shebaa farm in the occupied territories.
According to the Al Hadath TV channel, rockets towards the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights were also fired from the territory of the Syrian province of Al-Quneitra. There is no information about the damage caused and the victims.
The Israeli army reports that a total of 19 missiles have been fired. Ten of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, three fell on open ground in Israeli territory, and six more exploded in Lebanese territory. At the same time, it is clarified that the interception of the missiles was carried out in order to ensure maximum safety, although the system determined that they would fall in an open area, writes Newsru Israel.
Eyewitnesses reported to a TASS correspondent that Israeli artillery opened intense fire on Lebanese territory. At the same time, Israeli fighters appeared in the skies over Arkub and neighboring Hasbaya. Residents of border villages began to leave their homes, fearing the escalation of the conflict.
The armed militia of the Shiite Hezbollah party claimed responsibility for the shelling. “Islamic resistance fighters fired dozens of 122mm rockets at Israeli military positions located in the occupied area of the Shebaa farm,” the Hezbollah news service said in a communiqué. It indicates that this operation was carried out in response to the strikes of the Israeli air force, delivered on Thursday on Lebanese territory in the area of Jermuk and Al-Shawakir.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will hold a meeting on Friday with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and heads of security agencies after another rocket attack on the north of the Jewish state from Lebanon, the Prime Minister’s office said.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Israel was violating the sovereignty of its northern neighbor. He also noted that for the first time since 2006, the Israeli Air Force attacked populated areas in Lebanon.
The August 6 attack marks the third rocket attack on a Jewish state from Lebanon since the swearing-in of the new Israeli government, led by Naftali Bennett, on June 13. Prior to that, northern Israel came under rocket fire from Lebanon on 4 August and 20 July. Until 6 August, Hezbollah took no responsibility for the shelling.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon assesses the current situation as explosive. The peacekeeping mission called on the parties for an immediate ceasefire.