BEIRUT: A local official in Lebanon and state media said an Israeli strike on Sunday on a southern village killed several family members, with Hezbollah fighters announcing rocket fire in retaliation amid escalating tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border.
Hezbollah fighters launched rockets at Israeli territory on Sunday following a strike in southern Lebanon that killed several civilians, according to Lebanese officials and state media.
The strike, which targeted the village of Mais al-Jabal in southern Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of several family members, as confirmed by a local official and Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. Initially reported as claiming three lives, the toll was later updated to four, including a man, a woman, and their children aged 12 and 21. Two more persons were wounded in the attack.
Hezbollah swiftly responded to the strike by launching “dozens of Katyusha and Falaq rockets” at Kiryat Shmona, a city in northern Israel, according to a statement by the group. The attack was described as retaliation for the “horrific crime” committed by the Israeli enemy in Mais al-Jabal. Hezbollah later claimed to have fired more rockets at Israeli troops and vehicles along the border as part of their response to the attack.
The Israeli army reported that approximately 40 rockets were identified crossing from Lebanon, with some intercepted. While no casualties were reported at the time, the exchange of fire underscores the escalating violence.
The recent flare-up adds to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has seen a surge in cross-border attacks since October last year. In recent weeks, Israel has intensified airstrikes in Lebanese territory, while Hezbollah has increased missile and drone attacks on military positions in northern Israel.
The conflict has claimed numerous lives on both sides, with at least 390 people killed in nearly seven months of violence in Lebanon. Israel has reported casualties as well, with 11 soldiers and nine civilians killed on its side of the border.
