By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army reported on Sunday that it had intercepted two surface-to-surface missiles fired from Lebanon toward the Haifa region in northern Israel.
In a statement on X, the Israeli army said, “Following the sirens activated in Menashe, Carmel, and Haifa Bay, the Israeli Air Force successfully intercepted two surface-to-surface missiles launched from Lebanese territory.”
Shortly before the announcement, warning sirens had sounded in the Menashe Regional Council, located south of Haifa, as well as in the city of Hadera, Carmel Beach, and the Haifa Bay area, signaling incoming rocket fire.
The army further added that earlier, at 07:34 a.m. local time (04:34 GMT), it had intercepted several drones launched from Lebanon that had not reached Israeli territory. No casualties were reported.
In the early hours of Sunday, the Israeli army also reported intercepting two drones in the Red Sea and a third one over the Mediterranean Sea, near the shores of Tel Aviv.
“A short while ago, an Israeli Navy missile ship successfully intercepted two drones in the northern maritime area of the Red Sea, launched from the east, with no injuries,” said the army.
“The Israeli Air Force intercepted another drone over the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of greater Tel Aviv, also launched from the east, without causing any injuries,” it added.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,800 people, most of them women and children, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.
At least 2,036 people have since been killed, over 9,500 injured, and 1.2 million others displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.
The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi