Rockets fired by Hezbollah hit Israel’s third-largest city, Haifa, early Monday as tensions flared across the region on the anniversary of the Gaza war.
The attack marked a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah, backed by Iran, and Israel, as ground incursions into southern Lebanon intensified.
Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas—the Palestinian militant group currently fighting Israel in Gaza—claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of “Fadi 1” missiles at a military base south of Haifa. The group also targeted Tiberias, a city located 65 kilometers away, in a separate attack.
Israeli police confirmed the strike on Haifa, a vital port city, where 10 people were reportedly wounded. Israel’s military stated that five rockets were launched from Lebanon, some intercepted by air defense systems, with debris landing in the area. In Tiberias, 15 rockets were fired inland, with media reporting damage to buildings and minor injuries.
The conflict’s expansion has heightened fears of a broader war, with concerns that the U.S. and Iran—key allies of Israel and Hezbollah respectively—could become directly involved. Monday’s attacks coincide with the first anniversary of Hamas’ surprise cross-border assault on Israel, which triggered the current Gaza war.
READ ALSO : Hezbollah seeks leadership change after Nasrallah’s murder by Israel
As Israel commemorated the devastating Hamas attack that claimed the lives of 1,200 people and saw hundreds taken hostage, security forces were on high alert. A memorial event for the victims of the Nova Music Festival, where militants killed over 360 attendees, took place under tight security.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued their retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s suburbs. Air raids targeted arms depots, infrastructure, and command centers, leading to secondary explosions, suggesting weapons were stored in the area. Israel has accused Hezbollah of embedding weaponry in civilian areas, claims the group denies.
The escalation comes as Israeli strikes also reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah leaders, including Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor to slain leader Hassan Nasrallah. Reports suggest Safieddine has been unreachable since Thursday, while Iran’s Quds Force commander, Esmail Qaani, is also unaccounted for following Israeli strikes in Beirut.
The war has now drawn in multiple actors from Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” including Yemeni Houthis and Iraqi militia groups, sparking fears of a regional conflict that could spiral out of control. Israel’s operations in Lebanon have resulted in over 2,000 casualties, most occurring in the past two weeks, and have displaced over a million people from Lebanon’s southern and Bekaa regions.
As Iran launched scores of missiles at Israel in retaliation for its strikes on Lebanon and Gaza, the specter of an all-out regional war looms, with both sides vowing further action.
Credible News.ng
