Israel launches new strikes as Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets

Israel has confirmed that it launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after the militant group fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel overnight. These attacks reportedly caused damage to homes, with some rockets reaching deeper into Israel than before, coming close to the port city of Haifa. Hezbollah claimed it targeted military installations.

The Israeli military warned that its response against Hezbollah will “continue and intensify” in the coming days. This latest round of conflict comes after Israel’s airstrikes last week, which targeted Hezbollah’s communication devices like pagers and walkie-talkies. On Friday, Israeli forces claimed that an airstrike in Beirut resulted in the deaths of 12 high-ranking Hezbollah commanders. Lebanon reported that 45 people, including three children, were killed in the strike.

In the early hours of Sunday, sirens blared across northern Israel as more than 100 rockets were launched across the border. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later reported that an additional 85 rockets were fired later in the morning.

Unverified videos circulating online appear to show a fire in a residential area near Haifa, likely caused by the rocket attacks. On Saturday, Israel intensified its military response, with dozens of fighter jets conducting extensive strikes in southern Lebanon. According to IDF spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions that were preparing to launch rockets into Israel.

The IDF reported earlier that it had already destroyed approximately 180 sites and thousands of rocket launcher barrels before the new round of strikes began. As of Sunday, no further details on Israel’s strikes have been released.

Earlier in the week, a series of explosions involving Hezbollah’s communication devices, such as pagers and walkie-talkies, left 39 people dead and thousands injured across Lebanon. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Israel of being behind the explosions, stating that Israel had crossed “all red lines” and promising retribution. However, Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks.