Rocket barrage launched from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel

​​​​​​​By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – A barrage of rockets was launched from southern Lebanon towards Galilee in northern Israel, an Israeli media outlet reported on Friday evening.

“Heavy missile fire was directed towards Galilee, along with several sirens sounding amid concerns of aircraft penetration into Israeli territory,” reported Israeli daily Maariv.

“Sirens were activated in the communities of Dafna, Snir, Hagoshrim, Dan, and other settlements,” it added.

According to Maariv, more than 40 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Galilee.

Later, Lebanese group Hezbollah said in a statement that it had struck northern Israel with dozens of Katyusha rockets targeting artillery positions.

The Israeli army reported on Friday that around 50 rockets were launched from southern Lebanon towards the Finger of the Galilee area in northern Israel, according to the Israeli broadcasting authority.

The official broadcaster said the army detected a large number of rockets fired from southern Lebanon and that they were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.

No injuries or damages were reported, it said.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas, killing some 1,200 Israelis. The Israeli army has since killed more than 33,600 people and injured over 76,000 others.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.