The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired dozens of artillery shells into Lebanon on Wednesday in response to rocket fire in the most significant cross-border exchange since new premier Naftali Bennet took office.
The Israeli army said its artillery forces attacked different areas of the Lebanese border in response to three projectiles that landed into Israeli territory.
According to news reports rocket warning sirens sounded in northern Israeli areas (1948 occupied Palestine) after three rockets were launched from Lebanon. There were no reports of damage or casualties.
The Israeli army said in a statement the alerts sounded in Qiryat Shemona Kfar Giladi and Tel Hai – three communities near the border with Lebanon.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that one rocket exploded in an open area and another was intercepted by Israel’s defense system known as the Iron Dome while several witnesses in the border area in south Lebanon said two rockets landed in an Israeli community across the border followed by multiple artillery shells that were fired from Israel.
The Israeli shells landed in an area between the Lebanese villages of Marjayoun and Khiam according to eyewitnesses.
The border has been mostly quiet since Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah who have influence in southern Lebanon.
However Israel claimed many times before that small Palestinian factions in Lebanon had attacked its territory sporadically especially in recent months. The most recent incident happened on July 20 causing no damage or injuries. Israel responded to that incident with limited artillery fire.
Today’s fire exchange is considered the fifth incident since the IOF attacked Gaza last May in a military operation dubbed “Guardian of the Walls.”
