37 people were killed and 3,000 injured in the simultaneous explosion of tens of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a senior commander named Ibrahim Akil was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday. These incidents raised the specter of an all-out war on the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah launched a rocket attack on Saturday night targeting an air base in the deepest area of Israel. There was no immediate information on casualties or damage in the attack. However, after midnight on Sunday, warning sirens were sounded across northern Israel.
This is the first rocket attack by the armed group amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Dozens of rockets were fired at the Ramat David air base east of the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
Confirming the attack, Hezbollah said that they fired Fadia-1 and Fadia-2 rockets. The rockets they fired at Israel in the past few months were World War II-era Soviet Russia-made Katyusha rockets.
According to Al Jazeera’s report, according to Hezbollah’s claim, this is the first time since the 2006 war that Hezbollah’s missiles have reached more than 20 kilometers inside Israel. This time they hit a target 45 to 50 km away for the first time. Rockets were reported to have been seized in various areas, including the Ramat David airbase east of Haifa city.
According to preliminary information from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 12 more people were killed and 66 wounded in the attack on Ibrahim Akil. Israel claimed that 10 of the 11 dead except Akil were Hezbollah commanders at various levels.
According to Al Jazeera, the deceased Aqeel was a senior leader of Hezbollah’s elite ‘Radwan Force’. He was in a meeting at the time of the attack. The meeting was held between representatives of Hezbollah and a Palestinian armed group. Two buildings were completely destroyed by the Israeli attack. Members of the Lebanese Civil Defense are carrying out a rescue operation in the rubble.
In response to unprecedented pager and walkie-talkie attacks in Lebanon, the country’s armed organization Hezbollah has warned Israel of a strong retaliation. In a televised speech on Thursday local time, the top leader of the organization, Hassan Nasrallah, said that Israel has violated all limits. Due to this they will be punished accordingly. At the same time, he announced to continue fighting for Palestine.
In his first televised address since the unprecedented attacks across Lebanon killed 37 people, the Hezbollah leader said it was a “major blow to humanity and security.” More than 3,000 people were injured in these attacks last Tuesday and Wednesday. Blaming Israel for the attack, Nasrallah called it a ‘terrorist attack’ and ‘a declaration of war’. He said, this attack is against the people and sovereignty of Lebanon; An unprecedented event in the history of the country.
Hezbollah’s top leader said that after October 8, Israel did not withdraw any of its military personnel from the northern region. Israelis who have been evacuated will not be allowed to return to their homes. He said that most of those who were injured in the explosion of the device were civilians. They have exploded in hospitals, markets, homes. At that time, he called the attack in Lebanon a “reckless killing” and warned of “severe retaliation and appropriate punishment”.
In this context, Hezbollah and Israel exchanged attacks. Israel’s Army Radio reported that Hezbollah fired more than 150 rockets into northern Israel on Friday. At least one person was injured. Israel also carried out massive airstrikes in southern Lebanon. One member of Hezbollah was killed. Israel says it has hit more than a hundred Hezbollah rocket launchers. Lebanese officials are calling it the biggest bombing in recent memory.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on both sides to remain calm in this tense situation. Lebanese Foreign Minister Pager and Wakitki condemned the blasts. He described it as a ‘clear violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty’.