The Israeli artillery and airstrikes hit south Lebanon after Israel said that it had intercepted rockets fired from across the border. According to news agency Reuters, Saturday’s exchange was the first since Israel effectively abandoned a separate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is an ally of Hezbollah, both backed by Israel’s arch-rival Iran.
According to the report, the Israeli military had earlier said that it had intercepted three rockets launched from a Lebanese district about 4 miles north of the border, which is the second cross-border launch since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November ended the fighting.
The report mentions that Israel’s Army Radio said that the military was returning the artillery fire. The Lebanon’s state news agency said that Israeli artillery hit two towns in southern Lebanon with airstrikes on three other towns closer to the border.
According to media reports, there have been no reports of casualties from either side.
Signalling it could further escalate its response, the Israeli military said it would “respond severely to the morning’s attack,” reports news agency Reuters. However, the Israeli military said that it was still looking into who was responsible for Saturday’s cross-border launches towards the northern border town of Metula. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
PM Nawaf Salam also warned of a renewal of the military operations in the south of the country.
“Salam warned of renewed military operations on the southern border, because of the risks they carry dragging the country into a new war, which will bring woes to Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” he said in a statement.
According to the November ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was to have no weapons in southern Lebanon, Israeli troops were to withdraw from the region, and Lebanese army troops were to deploy into the area. The agreement also specifies that the Lebanon’s government is responsible for dismantling all the military and infrastructure in southern Lebanon and confiscating all unauthorised arms.
“All security and military measures must be taken to show that Lebanon decides on matters of war and peace,” he said in a statement.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Lebanese government bore responsibility for any rocket salvoes from its territory.
“We will not allow rocket fire from Lebanon on the Galilee communities. We promised security to the communities of the Galilee—and that is exactly how it will be. The rule for Metula is the rule for Beirut,” Katz said in a statement.
The ceasefire has brought an end to the intense bombardment of Israel and ground operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s daily rocket barrages into Israel.
