Israeli forces have reportedly retaliated with artillery shelling and rocket fire
Israeli police bomb disposal unit members stand by the remains of a shell fired from Lebanon in northern town of Fassuta on April 6, 2023. © AFP / Jalaa Marey
Air raid alarms sounded across northern Israel on Thursday afternoon amid reports of a rocket barrage fired from Lebanon. At least one projectile was intercepted by the Iron Dome system, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed.
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said at least one person was lightly injured by shrapnel, while a woman was hurt while running for a bomb shelter. There were no immediate reports of material damage.
Shortly after the rocket attacks, the Israeli military shelled southern Lebanon with artillery, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters. They confirmed at least two rocket attacks on Israel had originated from the country.
A total of 30 rockets were launched during the attack, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported, citing initial assessments. At least five evaded air defenses, causing damage and injuries on the ground.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have also not issued statements.
The rocket barrage comes shortly after the Lebanon-based Hezbollah promised to take “measures” over the ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Clashes recently erupted at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem.
However, a source close to Hezbollah told al-Arabiya that the group was not behind the barrage. “We have nothing to do with the rocket fire,” the source stated. A separate source claimed to the network that unspecified “Palestinian factions” were behind the incident.
