The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on Friday that rocket attacks by Hezbollah have resulted in the deaths of seven civilians in northern Israel, particularly in the cities of Metula and Haifa, marking one of the deadliest days for Israeli civilians in months.
The attacks began on Thursday morning when a rocket launched from Lebanon struck agricultural fields near the border town of Metula, claiming five lives.
Shortly thereafter, two more fatalities occurred when Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets that struck an olive field in Haifa.
In a statement on X, the IDF said, “Hezbollah rockets killed 7 innocent civilians inside Israel today. We will not let Hezbollah’s deadly attacks go unanswered.”
All of the victims were agricultural labourers who were working in the orchard at the time of the strike. Although the identities of those killed have not been disclosed, the IDF indicated that six out of the seven were foreign nationals.
In response to the attacks, the IDF reported that its forces conducted an air raid in Syria on Thursday, destroying weapons storage facilities and command centres used by Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces and its munitions unit.
In a post on X, the IDF stated, “A short while ago, following IDF intelligence, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) struck weapons storage facilities and command centres used by Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces and its Munitions Unit in the area of Al-Qusayr, Syria.”
The IDF further noted that “Hezbollah’s Munitions Unit is responsible for storing weapons inside Lebanon and has recently expanded its activities into the town of Al-Qusayr, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. With this, Hezbollah is establishing logistical infrastructure to facilitate the transfer of weapons from Syria into Lebanon via border crossings.”
The strike on the weapons storage facilities is part of a broader effort to target the infrastructure of Unit 4400, the Hezbollah unit responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran through Syria and into Lebanon.
This includes recent strikes on several border crossings between Syria and Lebanon that are used by Hezbollah for weapons smuggling.
Negotiators are eager to bring an end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and its neighbouring countries, as civilians from both sides are becoming increasingly vulnerable to rocket attacks, missiles, and air strikes.
Following these assaults on Israeli territory by Hezbollah, a more hostile response from Israel is anticipated, which has drawn criticism from global bodies regarding its military conduct in Gaza and Lebanon.
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