Israel strikes rockets launchers in southern Lebanon

Israel has launched a series of attacks in southern Lebanon, saying it struck hundreds of rocket launchers and other Hezbollah infrastructure.

The army claimed the launchers were about to be used “in the immediate future.”. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties during the attacks on Thursday night.

A statement from the Israel Defence Forces on X said: “With the direction of IDF intelligence, the IAF struck approximately 30 Hezbollah launchers and terrorist infrastructure sites, containing approximately 150 launcher barrels that were ready to fire projectiles toward Israeli territory.

“Additionally, the IDF struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure and a weapons storage facility in multiple areas in southern Lebanon.”

At the same time, the army ordered residents in parts of the Golan Heights and northern Israel to avoid public gatherings, minimise movements and stay close to shelters in anticipation of possible rocket fire.

Hezbollah struck at least four times in northern Israel on Thursday and two Israeli soldiers were killed in a strike earlier in the day.

Their attacks came while the leader of Hezbollah vowed to keep up daily strikes on Israel despite this week’s deadly sabotage of its members’ communication devices.

Hassan Nasrallah said Israelis displaced from homes near the Lebanon border because of the fighting would not be able to return until the war in Gaza ends.

The attack on electronic devices appeared to be the culmination of a months-long operation by Israel to target as many Hezbollah members as possible all at once — but civilians were also hit.

At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 wounded in the explosions Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr Nasrallah said the group is investigating how the bombings were carried out.

“Yes, we were subjected to a huge and severe blow,” he said. “The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines.

“The enemy will face a severe and fair punishment from where they expect and don’t expect.”

He said Hezbollah will continue its barrages into northern Israel as long as the war in Gaza continues, vowing that Israel will not be able to bring its people back to the border region.

“The only way is stop the aggression on the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” he said. “Neither strikes nor assassinations nor an all-out war will achieve that.”

Earlier on Thursday, Hezbollah said it had targeted three Israeli military positions near the border, two of them with drones. Israeli hospitals reported eight people lightly or moderately injured.

Hezbollah says its near-daily fire is a show of support for Hamas. Israel’s 11-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza began after its militants led the October 7 attack on Israel.