Israel declares war after Hamas attack; understand
The day before, the armed extremist group Hamas bombed Israel, claiming it was the start of a major operation to retake the territory. The conflict, which entered its second day today, has already left more than 900 dead and thousands injured.
The escalation of the attack has raised fears that a wider conflict could erupt between Israel and other factions opposing the Jewish state in the region including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an Iranianbacked armed party that has previously clashed with Israel.
Hezbollah previously said it fired guided missiles and artillery against three posts in Shebaa Farms “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people.
“Our history, our weapons and our missiles are with you,” senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine said at an event in the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahieh on the outskirts of Beirut in solidarity with Palestinian fighters.
The Lebanese army said projectiles and rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into “occupied Lebanese territory,” without saying who was responsible, and that several people were injured by Israeli return fire.
The statement published on the social network X said that army units had positioned themselves along the southern border.
Israel confiscated Shebaa Farms, a 39 square kilometer piece of land, in 1967. Both Syria and Lebanon claim that Shebaa Farms is Lebanese.
The Israeli military was on high alert throughout Sunday and said it fired artillery into an area in Lebanon where there was crossborder fire.
Channel 12 television reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired a Patriot missile over northern Israel.
The IDF said it identified a target described as “not an enemy aircraft” approaching Israeli territory and “fired an interceptor in its direction.”
The Israeli military also said that one of its drones hit a Hezbollah post in the Har Dov area of Shebaa and then fired a warning shot at several “suspects” in the area.
A Lebanese security source told Portal that a tent set up by Hezbollah at Shebaa Farms had been hit and Hezbollah fighters had set up a new one.
There were further exchanges of fire throughout the day. Two Lebanese security sources reported that rockets fired from Lebanon again hit Israeli positions in the farms of Shebaa and that Israel responded with artillery fire on the village of Kfar Shouba.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said it had detected “several rockets fired from southeast Lebanon into Israelioccupied territory” and Israeli artillery fire on Lebanon in response.
“We are in contact at all levels with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line to contain the situation and prevent a more serious escalation,” said spokeswoman Andrea Tenenti.
The Blue Line is the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel and marks the point to which Israeli forces withdrew when they left southern Lebanon in 2000.
On Saturday, UNIFIL said it had increased its presence in southern Lebanon due to developments in Israel and Gaza, including its operations to counter rocket fire.
UN special coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka said on social network X that she was “deeply concerned” about the shooting and called on parties to “protect Lebanon and its people from further conflict.”
In the early hours of this Sunday (local time), new explosions were reported in the Gaza Strip, which intensified at dawn. Watch the video below.
Pictures show new bomb attacks in the Gaza Strip
According to news agencies, the Israeli military said attacks were carried out from Lebanon against northern Israel.
These new bombings were claimed by the armed group Hezbollah, which claimed it fired rockets out of “solidarity” with the Palestinian people.
Also on Saturday (7), Hezbollah announced its support for the Hamassponsored attack against Israel, claiming to be in direct contact with leaders of resistance groups.
Israeli forces said they retaliated against Hezbollah’s attack and that a drone hit a Hezbollah post in the border region with Lebanon.
In addition, the Israel Defense Forces said it was continuing to conduct an operation in eight areas on the edge of the Gaza Strip in the south of the country. A complex allegedly used by Hamas intelligence was bombed in Gaza.
On Saturday morning (7), the Islamic armed group Hamas bombed Israel, claiming it was the start of a major operation to retake the territory.
In a recent statement, Hamas said its members continue to wage “fierce fighting” inside Israel.