The Israeli army launched intensive raids on southern Lebanon
The Israeli army vowed to respond forcefully to the launching of rockets from Lebanon toward areas in the north on Saturday morning.
“Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a situational assessment following the launch of rockets from Lebanon this morning… The IDF will respond forcefully to the launch,” the Israeli army said in a statement on X.
The Israeli army said, “The Lebanese government bears responsibility for maintaining the ceasefire agreement,” stressing that there is no change in the instructions of the Home Front Command following the rocket fire from Lebanon.
Prior to that, the Israeli army launched artillery shelling targeting the vicinity of the village of Markaba in southern Lebanon.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli army announced that it had intercepted three rockets fired from Lebanon toward the north of the country, for the first time in about four months.
The Israeli army said in a statement on X, “Three rockets were detected crossing from Lebanese airspace and were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force,” adding that the three rockets were intercepted after sirens were activated in the settlement of Metula.
According to the Israeli media, the three rockets intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system were among six launched from Lebanon, three of which fell inside Lebanese territory.
In the first official Israeli comment following the incident, Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement from his office, “We won’t allow a situation in which fire is directed from Lebanon toward towns in the Galilee”.
Katz added, “We promised to provide security to the towns of the Galilee, and we will fulfill our promise”.
He continued, “Metula is opposite Beirut,” meaning that any fire on Metula would be met with Israeli shelling of the Lebanese capital, not just the areas where fire was being launched in southern Lebanon.
“The Lebanese government bears responsibility for any fire from its territory,” Katz said.
He concluded by saying, “I’ve instructed the Israeli army to respond appropriately”.
