Middle East: Israel attacks Hisbollah in Lebanon after rocket fire.

Around four months after the start of a ceasefire between the Hisbollah militia in Lebanon and Israel, there is a fire on both sides of the border. According to its own statements, the Israeli military caught three rockets from Lebanon in northern Israel. Previously, the warning sirens had been heard in the Northern Israeli city of Metula. According to Lebanese information, Israel’s military attacked several places in southern Lebanon. The army said to proceed against positions of the Hisbollah militia.

In Lebanon, at least five people were killed by Israeli shelling at noon, including a young girl, and at least eleven people. According to the Lebanese state agency NNA, Israel’s military grabbed several places with artillery, tanks and machine guns, fighter jets flew over the area. The Hezbollah TV broadcaster Al-Manar reported more than 20 air strikes in the south.

In Israel there were initially no reports of damage or injuries. The Hisbollah denied that the rocket attacks are responsible. From Lebanese security circles, on the other hand, it was said that the first militia attacks on Israel have been at the end of November since the beginning of the existing ceasefire.

In the evening, the Israeli military announced that he had attacked further goals of the Hezbollah militia. According to Lebanese information, these concentrated in particular on the south and east of the country, and the coastal city of Tyros was also affected. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, a person was killed there, so seven people were also injured. At least six people were killed in the two waves of Israeli attacks on Saturday.

“Extremely fragile situation”

After the ceasefire with the Islamist Hamas factually ended with an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, worries are now growing in the Israeli-Libanese border area. The UN mission Unifil spoke of an “extremely fragile situation” and warned of a new escalation of violence.

After Unifil presentation, four floors from Lebanon were fired on Israel in the morning. Then Israel’s army reacted with attacks in Lebanon.

Israel shot Hisbollah targets

Israel’s chief of staff Ejal Zamir announced that Israel was determined to respond to the rocket attacks. The Lebanon is responsible for compliance with the ceasefire that has actually been in effect since November, it said.

Shortly afterwards, the Israeli military attacked Hisbollah positions in the south of the neighboring country. The goal was dozens of rocket shot ramps and a command post of the militia, the army said. Previously, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the military to attack “dozens of terrorist goals”, according to a message.

Hezbollah denies responsibility for rocket attacks

The Hisbollah denied that the rocket attacks were responsible, and also paid responsibility towards Lebanese President Josef Aoun and Prime Minister Nauaf Salam. “The claims of the Israeli enemy are only preliminary walls to justify its persistent aggression against Lebanon,” said the militia. The Hisbollah is still committed to the ceasefire.

After a search in the south, the Lebanese army discovered three simple wooden devices to shoot off rockets. The soldiers had dismantled them, the army said.

Lebanese Prime Minister warns of “New War”

The Hisbollah supported by Iran had shot down with rockets for more than a year since the beginning of the Gaza War in October 2023. According to her own statements, she wanted to support Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel replied with massive air raids and a soil offensive. More than 3,900 people were killed in Lebanon and more than a million were driven out.

Around 1200 people were killed in the terrorist attack of Hamas. Because of the shelling of the villages and cities in Northern Israel, more than 160,000 residents of the region were evacuated, tens of thousands decided on their own drive to search for more security in other parts of the country.

A ceasefire has actually been in the case since November. This provides for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the south of the Lebanon. This has now largely been done, but there are still five Israeli military post near the border. The Lebanese leadership evaluates the whereabouts of the troops as a violation of the agreement and protested several times.

Prime Minister Salam warned that Israel could move his country into a “new war”. The United Nations would have to increase the pressure internationally to reach Israel withdrawal from Lebanon.

Mayor of Metula: Evacuations according to rocket attack

In a conversation with the Israeli news portal “YNET”, the mayor of the North Israeli city of Metula affected by the rocket attack called for a decisive reaction so that the safety of the residents is guaranteed. About eight percent of those who had returned to their homes after the ceasefire between Israel and the Hisbollah left the city again. A return under the current conditions is pointless, he said without naming specific figures about returnees. The residents of Metula should not be hostages of a compromise on security.