Hezbollah launched a massive rocket barrage into Israel on Sunday, firing approximately 250 rockets across the border from Lebanon, in one of the heaviest attacks since hostilities escalated in September.
The strikes caused significant damage and injuries in northern and central Israel, including areas near Tel Aviv, according to Israeli police.
The report says, rockets hit locations in Petah Tikva, Haifa, Nahariya, and Kfar Blum. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that some rockets caused direct hits, leaving neighborhoods in ruins with houses engulfed in flames.
The escalation follows an Israeli airstrike on central Beirut on Saturday, which the Lebanese health ministry reports killed 29 people. It marked one of the deadliest attacks in the region this year.
Hezbollah, which had vowed to retaliate against strikes on Beirut, claimed responsibility for launching precision missiles targeting two military sites in Tel Aviv and its surroundings.
In response, the IDF conducted strikes on 12 Hezbollah command centers in Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Lebanon’s health ministry announced Sunday that the death toll from Saturday’s Israeli strikes had risen from 20 to 29, bringing the total casualties in the country since October 2023 to over 3,670 killed and 15,400 injured, adding that more than one million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the ongoing conflict.
In Israel, authorities estimate that Hezbollah’s attacks have forced the evacuation of approximately 60,000 residents from northern communities.
Despite the intensifying violence, there are indications of progress toward a ceasefire. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel has given a “green light” to advance a US-proposed ceasefire deal with Lebanon. However, significant gaps reportedly remain in the negotiations.
Israel’s intensified military campaign against Hezbollah follows months of escalating tensions along its northern border.
The stated goal of the operation is to neutralize Hezbollah’s capabilities and secure the safe return of displaced Israelis to their homes.
Hezbollah fires rocket barrages into Israel following deadly Beirut strikes
