Hezbollah Launches 20 Rockets On Israel As Border Fighting Escalates

On Friday things escalated along the Israel-Lebanon border following Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire on Thursday which was retaliation for three rockets being fired earlier from south Lebanon. 

Hezbollah has now claimed responsibility for a fresh heavy barrage of some 20 rockets fired into northern Israel, which set off sirens through the region and activated the military’s Iron Dome missile intercept defense system.

WATCH: More than 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, most of which were intercepted by The IDF Aerial Defense System. pic.twitter.com/tRlG7MCe0J

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 6, 2021

A subsequent Hezbollah statement indicated that “at 11.15AM the Islamic Resistance responded to the Israeli aggression by targeting the vicinity of Israeli enemy posts in Shebaa Farms with dozens of rockets fired from woodlands that are far from residential areas.”

No injuries or casualties were reported, but it marks a major incident which could put the situation on a war-footing similar to the lead-up to the devastating 2006 war. Tel Aviv previously informed the Lebanese government that it would be held responsible for any acts of aggression by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia paramilitary group which is considered Israel’s most formidable enemy in the region.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the Friday attack on northern Israeli and published video of the rocket launches…

Hezbollah releases footage of the rocket barrage attack toward northern Israel this morning pic.twitter.com/DAgmdsPkFL

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 6, 2021

The Jerusalem Post reported of Friday’s rocket fire: “The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted 10 rockets, with 6 falling in open areas near Har Dov on the Lebanese border. The others fell inside Lebanon.”

“Incoming rocket sirens were activated in northern Israeli communities bordering the Lebanese and Syrian borders including Ein Quiniyye, Neveh Ativ and Snir, near Israel’s northern border with Lebanon and Syria,” the report continued.

Druze villagers surround Hezbollah rocket launcher and van in front of it (unclear who is in it) and stop the attack on Israel being fired from near their villages in southern Lebanon pic.twitter.com/dDAkCMikYL

— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) August 6, 2021

The Israeli army has since indicated it quickly responded with retaliatory strikes on Lebanese positions from which the rockets were fired. The IDF posted to its official media channels: “We are currently striking the rocket launch sites in Lebanon. We will not let attacks on Israeli civilians go unanswered.“

Again strongly suggesting we could be on the brink of a broader Israeli operation in Lebanon if tit-for-tat military action continues at this pace, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, late in the day warned the UN Security Council of broader action. He demanded the council urgently address the Hezbollah rocket attack, which included the alarming statement that “Israel sees the Lebanese government as responsible for any action originating from within its territory.”