The Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon took responsibility on Monday afternoon for firing anti-tank missiles across the border, saying that it targeted five locations in northern Israel.
“A short while ago, [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers operating along the Lebanese border were fired at. No IDF injuries were reported,” confirmed the Israeli military, adding that it responded with artillery fire towards the area of the launches.
In a statement cited by the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen television channel, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization said it targeted “Misgav Am, Khirbat al-Manara, Hormon, Birket Risha and Ramiya with appropriate weapons, inflicting confirmed hits in all five sites.”
Hezbollah has been testing the waters, initiating a series of fire exchanges as the Jewish state fights Hamas terrorists to the south.
On Sunday, Hezbollah anti-tank missile strikes on northern Israel killed an Israeli civilian and a soldier, in addition to injuring at least three others.
The Israeli civilian killed by Hezbollah was identified as Mofid al-Zir, an Arab Israeli construction worker from Abu Snan near Acre. The slain soldier was identified on Monday as Lt. Amitayi Zvi Granot, 24.
The IDF said that it hit the source of the missile fire with artillery. The IDF also struck Lebanese territory in response to additional anti-tank missile fire towards an IDF post on the border.
About an hour after the initial incident, the IDF reported more anti-tank guided missile fire from Lebanon at soldiers operating along the border. In response, the army struck Hezbollah military targets for the fifth time on Sunday.
Later in the afternoon, the IDF reported that nine rockets were fired from Lebanon into the Western Galilee, setting off alarms in Nahariya, Rosh Hanikra and nearby towns. The Iron Dome defense system intercepted five of the projectiles and the remainder were not headed towards populated areas. The IDF was striking the source of the attacks.
In addition, the IDF said ground troops exchanged fire with terrorists on the border.
Following the initial attack, the IDF declared the area within 4 kilometers of the Lebanese border a closed military zone and ordered citizens residing within 2 kilometers of the border to remain close to bomb shelters.
