UPDATE - Israeli army reports intercepting 15 rockets, 4 drones launched from Lebanon

CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army reported on Saturday that it had intercepted 15 rockets and four drones launched from Lebanon targeting northern Israel.

In separate statements on X, the Israeli army reported: “Following sirens activated in the Western Galilee area, we identified approximately 15 rockets launched from Lebanese territory.”

“Some of these rockets were intercepted, while the remainder fell in open areas,” it added.

It also said it intercepted four drones that had entered from Lebanese territory towards Upper Galilee, starting with three drones launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel.

Later on X, the army said: “Following the alerts that were activated in the Western Galilee, the Air Force intercepted a fourth drone since this morning.”

Separately, Hezbollah announced Saturday that its fighters launched coordinated missile and drone attacks on Israel's Mishar intelligence base and Tel Nof airbase, as well as a group of Israeli forces near Ras al-Naqoura on the southern Lebanese border.

Hezbollah fighters also reportedly struck the Krayot area north of Haifa and an Israeli army assembly near the Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab with a volley of rockets.

Israel has mounted a huge air campaign in Lebanon since last month against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Israel expanded the conflict this year by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi