Two rockets launched from Lebanon explode in Israeli territory; IDF shells Lebanese targets across the border.
By World Israel News Staff
The Israeli military retaliated with artillery strikes on targets in southern Lebanon after two rockets were launched from the country and exploded in Israeli territory.
Two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon, according to a Reuters report. One of the rockets struck near the Arab-Israeli village of Ghajar at around 8:00 a.m., while the other fell in the disputed Shebaa Farms region in the Golan Heights shortly afterwards.
Residents of Ghajar told Hebrew-language media that they heard the sound of a falling rocket and subsequent explosion, and that the impact had taken place near the Hatzbani River along the Israel-Lebanon border. Footage circulating on social media depicted large plumes of smoke rising from the impact sites.
No casualties or damage to property were reported.
While the IDF initially said they believed the explosion was the result of an old land mine being triggered, the military later acknowledged that a rocket had been fired.
“It emerged that a launch was carried out from Lebanese territory that exploded adjacent to the border in Israeli territory,” read a statement from the army.
““In response, the IDF is currently striking the area from which the launch was carried out in Lebanese territory,” the army continued.
Hebrew-language media has reported that the military is utilizing cross-border artillery shelling, rather than airstrikes, in retaliation for the launch.
The incident comes on the heels of high tensions between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group along the border.
Several weeks ago, Hezbollah established an encampment, which included several tents, on the Israeli side of the Blue Line.
Despite acknowledging that the encampment is a violation of Israeli sovereignty, the UN-backed UNIFIL peacekeeping force refused to order Hezbollah to remove the tents.
Earlier this week, Hezbollah quietly removed one of the tents.
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