The Israel Defense Forces traded fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon on Wednesday after terrorists fired some 20 rockets towards the Upper Galilee.
Air raid sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona, signaling the first attack after some 18 hours of relative quiet on the northern border.
Approximately 15 projectiles struck open areas in Israel, causing no casualties or damage.
IDF artillery targeted terrorists in Southern Lebanon in response to the attacks. IDF tanks shelled a Hezbollah observation post.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has been testing the waters in recent weeks, initiating a series of fire exchanges as the Jewish state fights Hamas terrorists to the south.
On Tuesday, IDF jets struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon.
“Fighter jets recently attacked a number of terrorist infrastructures of the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. In addition, an IDF tank attacked a terror squad that tried to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanese territory towards the Yiftah area,” the military said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Lebanese terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and mortar shells at military outposts throughout the Upper and Western Galilee, activating air raid sirens in Moshav Margaliot, Moshav Shomera, Kibbutz Yiftah, Arab al-Aramshe and Mattat.
Also on Tuesday, IDF aerial defenses intercepted a “suspicious target” off the coast of Akko. No sirens sounded in the northern city as the target was not deemed a threat to the population.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah must decide whether he wants to enter into a large-scale conflict with Israel, an IDF spokesman said following the incidents, while noting that Israel has chosen at this stage to concentrate on dismantling Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“We are seeing ongoing attacks and aggressiveness by Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies in the area, and we are responding to escalating aggression,” said IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amnon Shefler.
“We are prepared for them. I remind you that we have drafted hundreds of thousands of reservists on top of our regular military. At the same time, we focus on the Gaza Strip and on our goals to bring back the hostages and dismantle Hamas,” he explained.
