Israel Retaliates After Rocket Attack From Lebanon

Israel Launches Strikes in Southern Lebanon in Response to Rocket Attack

Israel has carried out heavy retaliatory strikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon following the launch of rockets toward northern Israel, marking the first such incident since a ceasefire agreement came into effect in November.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to “take forceful action against several terrorist targets in Lebanon.”

According to the IDF, three rockets were fired on Saturday morning from Lebanese territory into the northern Israeli town of Metula. No casualties were reported, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister issued a stern warning, urging against dragging the country into a new conflict. “We must avoid being drawn into another war,” he cautioned amid rising regional tensions.

The recent hostilities have jeopardized the fragile truce that ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group. While the ceasefire agreement remains formally in place, it has been marred by near-daily Israeli airstrikes targeting what it claims are Hezbollah operations aimed at rearming the group.

In response to the latest escalation, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) voiced “grave concern” over the potential for renewed violence and urged both parties to uphold their commitments under the ceasefire arrangement.

Reports from within Lebanon indicate that Israeli artillery shelling has struck various locations in the country’s south, further intensifying fears of a broader conflict.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli military continues to occupy five contested areas in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese government views this presence as a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of the ceasefire terms, which called for Israel’s full withdrawal from the area.

In contrast, Israel maintains that it must retain a security presence in those zones due to what it sees as the Lebanese army’s failure to fully deploy along the border, posing ongoing security risks to Israeli border communities.

Saturday’s rocket attack is likely to further strain Lebanon’s already embattled government, as it may be perceived by Israel as evidence that Lebanese forces do not exert full control over the southern border region.

Although Israeli strikes against Hezbollah have continued in recent months, Hezbollah has refrained from responding militarily, signaling a delicate balance that could be shattered if escalations persist.