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Hezbollah rockets hit Israel’s third-largest city of Haifa, police said early on Monday, and Israeli media reported 10 injured in the country’s north on the first anniversary of the Gaza war, which has spread in the Middle East.
Iran-backed Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, the Palestinian militants group fighting Israel in Gaza, said it targeted a military base south of Haifa with a salvo of “Fadi 1” missiles.
Media said two rockets hit Haifa on Israel’s Mediterranean coast and five hit Tiberias, 65 km (40 miles) away.
Police said some buildings and properties were damaged, and there were reports of minor injuries, with some people taken to a nearby hospital.
According to media reports Over the past few hours, the airstrikes struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in the area of Beirut, the military said, adding that secondary explosions were identified after the strikes, indicating the presence of weaponry.
Israel’s military said fighter jets hit targets belonging to Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters in Beirut, including intelligence-gathering means, command centres, and additional infrastructure sites.
Israel on high alert on first anniversary of deadly Hamas attack on Oct 7 last year
Israel remains on high alert on the first anniversary of deadly attack by Hamas on October 7 last year. Israeli Defence Forces said, it is anticipating possible long-range rocket fire or other attacks from Gaza. Israel has deployed more troops near Gaza.
Meanwhile, a gunman attacked a bus station at Beersheba in Israel, killing one woman and injuring 10 others. Police described the shooting as a terrorist attack. The attacker, reportedly a member of the Bedouin minority, was killed by soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited IDF troops stationed near the northern border, just meters from Hezbollah’s strongholds. Mr Netanyahu addressed the soldiers, praising their efforts and resilience.
Israel’s military leadership also remains resolute. IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, addressed soldiers and reservists, acknowledging the failures on October 7 last year but highlighting the progress made since.
Halevi stressed that while the fight continues, Israel’s military has successfully dealt heavy blows to its enemies, particularly Hamas and Hezbollah.
Halevi said that a year has passed since they failed to protect Israeli citizens, but they have regrouped and strengthened, having defeated the military wing of Hamas and dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah, which has lost its senior leadership. He urged soldiers to continue with perseverance, recognizing their efforts in what he called “one of the most complex wars Israel has known.”
In a related development, Iran’s civil aviation authority has suspended all flights from its airports until this morning, following Israel’s vow to retaliate for last week’s Iranian missile strike.
This move further escalates the already tense situation in the region as Israel prepares to respond to multiple threats.