In a recent interview with local officials, it was revealed that Haifa, a city in northern Israel, is dealing with a significant escalation in conflict following a late Sunday incident where approximately five rockets, attributed to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, struck the area. The attack caused property damage and left eight people injured.
A spokesperson for Haifa’s municipality emphasized that this event marks the first direct assault on the city since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. In response, the Israeli military pledged to investigate the failure of their air defense systems to intercept the rockets. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed the strikes were aimed at a military base located south of Haifa.
Additionally, the nearby town of Tiberias, situated along the Sea of Galilee to the east, also came under a rocket barrage, resulting in more injuries.
In retaliation, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in Beirut, focusing on areas identified as militant strongholds. Reports have emerged that a third military division has been deployed to support operations in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are reportedly engaged with Hezbollah fighters in border regions.
Amid the ongoing conflict, the Israeli government has vowed to ensure the safe return of thousands of displaced residents to their homes near the Lebanese border, a commitment made following a year filled with cross-border skirmishes tied to the recent Gaza war.
The situation has escalated sharply since Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel on October 8, 2023, in response to a deadly Hamas attack in southern Israel. Despite suffering significant losses in recent weeks, Hezbollah remains resilient, asserting their confidence in their capacity to respond to what they term “Israeli aggression.”
