Six rockets were launched from southern Lebanon toward the northern Israeli town of Metula on Saturday morning, marking the first such attack since December. Three projectiles were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, while the remaining fell short in Lebanon. No injuries or damage were reported.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out artillery strikes, followed by two waves of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, including rocket launchers and command centers across Lebanon. The strikes extended beyond southern Lebanon to the coastal city of Tyre, the Beqaa Valley, and the northern Hermel region.
While Hezbollah denied responsibility for the rocket fire, the IDF condemned the attack as a “blatant violation” of agreements between Israel and Lebanon. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to prevent further attacks, issuing a warning that “the fate of Metula is the same as Beirut.”
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that at least six people were killed, including a child, and several others were wounded in the Israeli strikes. The Lebanese army later located and dismantled three makeshift rocket launchers used in the attack.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that escalating military operations could push the country into a new war. Meanwhile, mayors of northern Israeli towns criticized the government’s handling of security, with Metula’s mayor accusing officials of trying to “normalize” rocket fire on civilian areas.
Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained high since Hezbollah launched attacks following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. Despite a ceasefire agreement in November 2024, intermittent hostilities persist, displacing thousands of civilians on both sides.
