In the third day of cross-border hostilities, a new salvo of rockets was fired from south Lebanon toward Israel on Tuesday, sparking Israeli attacks on Hezbollah sites and retaliatory fire.
The missile fire, which was not immediately acknowledged, comes after Hamas terrorists launched an unprecedented multi-pronged offensive from the blockaded Gaza Strip on Israel’s southern flank over the weekend.
“Rockets were fired from… southern Lebanon towards the Galilee” region in northern Israel, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) said.
According to a Lebanese military source who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, the rockets were launched from the village of Qlaileh in the Tyre district of south Lebanon.
“In response to the launches identified from Lebanese territory toward Israeli territory, IDF (army) soldiers are currently responding with artillery fire,” Israeli forces said.
In reaction to the rocket firing, Israeli army tanks destroyed “two observation posts” in Hezbollah, the military said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that Israel is prepared “for all scenarios in all arenas.”
In reaction to a “anti-tank missile launched from Lebanon toward a military vehicle,” the army said one of its helicopters struck another Hezbollah observation post.
In a statement, Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said that “in response to Israeli attacks” on a number of the group’s observation sites, its members fired two guided missiles against an Israeli armoured personnel carrier.
The exchange of fire on Tuesday came a day after Israel claimed to have killed three Hezbollah members in Lebanon.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which serves as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel, said it was in communication with both parties “to de-escalate this very dangerous situation.”
According to the NNA, there were no immediate reports of deaths on the Lebanese side, which reported areas targeted included the border village of Dhayra.
According to an AFP photographer, Israeli fire reportedly hit areas further west in Kfarshuba and near the disputed Shebaa Farms.