Israel launched retaliatory strikes into Lebanon on Thursday after two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards Israel, according to sources on both sides. The incident follows heightened tensions between Israel and Arab nations after Israel’s recent large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank, specifically targeting the Jenin camp known for its presence of Palestinian militants.
Security sources in Lebanon confirmed that two rockets were fired towards Israel, with one landing in Lebanese territory and the other near a disputed border area. Initially, the Israeli military stated that there were no unusual incidents on their side of the border, but later acknowledged a projectile explosion without reported damage.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement indicating that they were striking the area from where the launch originated in Lebanese territory. Israeli communities near the border were not given any specific instructions at the time. During major escalations, Israel typically advises civilians in range to seek shelter.
Witnesses reported seeing plumes of white smoke rising from the southern hilly region. A resident of Wazzani, the village where one of the rockets fell, mentioned artillery fire originating from Israel’s direction.
The second rocket reportedly landed near the disputed village of Ghajar, which straddles the Israel-Lebanon border but is inhabited by people loyal to Syria.
No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, and there has been no immediate response from the Lebanese army or the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), responsible for peacekeeping in the region.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese group that controls southern Lebanon and has engaged in multiple conflicts with Israel, expressed support for the Palestinian cause during Israel’s operation in Jenin but did not comment on the rocket fire reports.
In a separate statement, Hezbollah condemned what they referred to as “dangerous measures” taken by Israeli forces in the northern part of Ghajar, a region Lebanon claims. Hezbollah accused Israel of constructing wire fences and cement walls, prompting concern from Lebanon’s foreign ministry about the creation of a new reality on the ground. Israel’s military had not issued an immediate response to Hezbollah’s allegations.
In a previous escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence in April, Israel held the Palestinian group Hamas responsible for firing rockets from Lebanon into Israel, leading to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
