Hezbollah downs Israeli drone, strikes northern Israel military bases, settlements

​​​​​​​By Yusuf Alioğlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hezbollah announced Saturday that it launched rockets at military bases and settlements in northern Israel, some of which were targeted multiple times.

The Lebanese group also said it hit five gatherings of Israeli soldiers, artillery positions in northern Israel and downed an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon, bringing the number of attacks Saturday to 23 by (1730GMT).

In central Israel, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the first-ever missile attack on the Malam factory, which produces air defense and missile systems in southern Tel Aviv, located 132 kilometers (82 miles) from the Lebanese border.

In northern Israel, the group reported it launched two separate rocket salvos on the Zevulun military industrial base in northern Haifa and the Meron base.

Hezbollah said it targeted the Haifa Technical Base twice with two separate rocket salvos. The base is linked to the Israeli Air Force and includes a training college for air force technicians.

The group reported using drones for the first time in a precise attack on the Ein Khozlot military communications base, located 55 kilometers from the Lebanese border, south of Lake Tiberias.

It launched rocket salvos at Safed twice and Nahariya, as well as the settlements of Katzrin, Hatzor Haglilit, Rosh Pina, Metula, Maalot Tarshiha (twice), Kiryat Shmona, Kiryat Bialik and Kiryat Yam (twice).

Hezbollah reported targeting artillery positions in the Hagoshrim settlement in the Finger of the Galilee region, as well as in the Kiryat Shmona settlement with rocket salvos.

The group also struck three gatherings of soldiers in the Baghdadi military site and the settlements of Manara and Avivim in northern Israel.

In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah said it launched a rocket salvo on an Israeli military gathering south of the town of Maroun al-Ras and used drones to target another gathering east of Maroun al-Ras.

Additionally, Hezbollah reported that it downed an Israeli Hermes 450 drone in the town of Deir Siriane using a surface-to-air missile.

A massive Israeli air campaign in Lebanon has been ongoing since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets in an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war.

More than 3,100 people have been killed and over 13,900 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel launched an incursion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala