Hezbollah says it launched rockets, drones against northern Israel

By Wassim Saifuldine

BEIRUT (AA) - Hezbollah said Thursday that it launched rockets and drones towards Israeli military bases and command centers in northern Israel amid heightened tensions between the two sides.

In a statement, the Lebanese group detailed its operations, saying it used Katyusha and Falaq rockets to target the sites, including artillery positions in al-Zaoura and the Keila and Yoav barracks as well as the Katsavya and Nafah bases and the Sahal battalion in Beit Hillel.

Hezbollah further said that it targeted with drone attacks the David base (Northern Command headquarters), Mishar base (headquarters of the central intelligence unit of the north of region charged with assassination missions) and the Katsavia barracks (headquarters of the 7th Armored Brigade of the Golan Division 210), “successfully hitting their targets.”

The group noted that these attacks were in response to the assassination of one of its senior commanders, Taleb Sami Abdullah, in a drone strike by Israel in Jwaya, southern Lebanon.

Earlier Thursday, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported that 150 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Hezbollah targeted Upper Galilee and the occupied Golan Heights.

The channel estimated that more than a hundred rockets were launched into Israeli territory during the bombardment.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired 215 rockets and drones at Israel in what was described as the “largest and most extensive” attack since the current clashes began on Oct. 8, 2023.

- Fires from Israeli strikes

Lebanon's National News Agency meanwhile reported that an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Qatrani sparked a large fire.

The agency also noted that Israeli aircraft targeted Barakat forest on the outskirts of the town of Jdeidet Marjayoun, igniting fires among the pine trees.

Lebanese Red Cross and civil defense teams along with local residents promptly responded to extinguish the flames.

While there were no casualties reported from Thursday's airstrikes, the agency noted that the blasts shattered windows in nearby shops and homes.

Tensions have risen along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv presses ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 37,200 people since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio