Israel has launched air strikes against targets belonging to Palestinian militant group Hamas in Lebanon and Gaza following a major rocket attack on Israel from Lebanon. Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it hit Hamas’ “terrorist” infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Six out of 34 rockets launched from Lebanon hit Israeli buildings, causing significant damage. The attack was the largest rocket barrage in 17 years, and Israeli warplanes responded with increased airstrikes in Gaza. Around 20 missiles hit four sites in 10 minutes, including an underground weapons production site and three above-ground sites.
The situation follows days of violent confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli police, which began after the latter raided Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque on consecutive nights earlier this week. Tensions have been high, with Palestinians voicing their outrage at the raids on one of Islam’s holiest sites. Hamas’ chief, Ismail Haniyeh, said that Palestinians would not “sit with their arms crossed” in the face of Israeli aggression. The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Unifil, called for restraint and to avoid further escalation.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned any military operations from his country’s territory that “destabilize the situation.” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a calming of tensions and urged “decisive action” against extremists who use violence. The Israeli airstrikes were reportedly the heaviest since a round of fighting with Islamic Jihad in August 2022.
Source: BBC
