Israel strikes Lebanon in response to cross-border rocket fire

Israeli airstrikes and artillery targeted southern Lebanon on Saturday after Israel claimed it intercepted rockets launched from across the border, a confrontation threatening a fragile ceasefire that concluded a year-long conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

That conflict represented the most lethal spillover of the Gaza war, echoing across the border for months before intensifying into a fierce Israeli campaign that eliminated Hezbollah’s top leaders, numerous fighters, and much of its weaponry.

Saturday’s exchange marked the first since Israel essentially discarded a distinct ceasefire in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is allied with Hezbollah, both supported by Iran, Israel’s greatest adversary.

The Israeli military previously stated it had intercepted three rockets fired from a Lebanese area roughly 6 km (4 miles) north of the border, marking the second cross-border launch since a U.S.-mediated ceasefire in November concluded the hostilities.

Israel’s Army Radio reported that the military was responding with artillery fire. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that Israeli artillery targeted two towns in southern Lebanon and conducted airstrikes on three additional towns nearer to the border.

No casualties were reported from either side. Indicating a possible escalation in its reaction, the Israeli military stated it would “respond harshly to the morning’s attack.”

Nevertheless, the Israeli military indicated it was still investigating who was accountable for the cross-border launches towards the northern border town of Metula on Saturday. According to the ceasefire agreement in November, Hezbollah was to refrain from having weapons in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces were to pull out from the region, and troops from the Lebanese army were to be sent into the area.