Over 30 rockets launched at Israel in largest attack from Lebanon since 2006 — major escalation
Largest rocket barrage in years as Israel celebrates Passover
Air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel late Thursday afternoon – the first day of Passover – as Israel Defense Forces reported that 34 rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon, with 25 of them being intercepted by Iron Dome air defense systems.
Five rockets allegedly landed in Israeli territory causing damage, and at least one person was injured from shrapnel, according to local media sites. The IDF has not yet released all the data regarding the other rockets, while videos on social media showed footage of the Iron Dome interceptions.
As a result of the barrage of rocket attacks, a number of fires broke out in the northern region and Israel Fire and Rescue services are reportedly working to extinguish them.
The airspace in northern Israel is currently closed to all civilian flights until the situation is under control.
The last significant rocket attack on Israel from Lebanon was in 2021, when Hezbollah fired 19 rockets into Israel's northern region. The last major rocket barrage was during the second Lebanon war in 2006.
The rocket attacks come just one day after rockets were launched at Israel’s southern border by terror groups in the Gaza Strip, reportedly in response to clashes between Israel Police and Palestinians at Al Aqsa Mosque Tuesday night. Since that incident, Israeli security forces have been concerned about an escalation of violence.
The Israeli Air Force also struck several sites in Gaza on Wednesday in response to the rockets fired from the Strip early yesterday morning.
No group has claimed responsibility as of this report, but Hezbollah in Lebanon indicated yesterday that it was willing to take part with Palestinian terror groups in the conflict against Israel.
There were scattered reports in Lebanese social media claiming today's attacks were in retaliatory response to the killing of two Hezbollah members by Israeli air strikes in Syria earlier this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with senior defense officials to coordinate response.