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Israel has warned of a “severe” response to rocket fire from Lebanon into northern Israel, as tensions continue to rise along the border, the Associated Press reported. The rockets, which targeted the Israeli town of Metula, were intercepted early on Saturday morning, marking the second such attack from Lebanon since December.
The strikes come just one day after Israel vowed to intensify its military operations in Gaza, in an effort to force Hamas to release 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to still be alive. The latest exchange of fire from Lebanon raises concerns about the fragile ceasefire with the Hezbollah, which has been involved in intermittent rocket attacks on Israel since the escalation of conflict between the two sides in September last year.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has stressed Israel would not allow attacks on its communities, specifically in the Galilee region. “We promised security to the Galilee communities, and that is exactly what will happen,” he said, signalling a possible military escalation.
The strikes also come in the wake of rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which began launching rockets, drones, and missiles into Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Since then, Israeli forces have launched several waves of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing senior members of the outfit. The conflict has claimed over 4,000 lives in Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands of Israelis, reports suggest.
Under the ceasefire brokered in November, Israel had agreed to withdraw from Lebanese territory by January, but delays in fulfilling this withdrawal have caused further friction. Although the deadline was extended until mid-February, Israel remains in several locations across from northern Israeli communities and has continued airstrikes against Hezbollah targets.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has called for precautionary measures from the Lebanese military, urging that Lebanon does not wish to return to war. Hezbollah, however, has yet to comment on the recent developments.
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