As Israel continues military operations against Hamas in Gaza, tensions at the Israel-Lebanon border have also intensified as Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Shtula in Israel. The missile attack on the farming community resulted in the death of a civilian. Three others were reported injured.
As per Times of Israel, at least five anti-tank guided missiles were launched into Israel by Hezbollah. One civilian was killed and three others were injured in the first missile attack on Sunday morning, when a missile hit a construction site in the northern town of Shtula. A second missile targeted a nearby military post, while the third one was targeted at a group of troops on the Lebanon border. The next two missiles also targeted other military posts. IDF has not provided details of the consequences of the 4 missile attacks on its forces.
IDF said that apart from the missiles, nine rockets were also launched from Lebanon at northern Israel, setting off sirens in Nahariya and several nearby towns. The Iron Dome air defence system intercepted five of them, while the other four were not headed towards populated areas. There were no injuries in these rocket attacks.
In retaliation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched strikes in Lebanon and declared a 4 KM zone along the Lebanese border off-limits to the general public. Furthermore, IDF has said it was shelling the sources of the missile fire and carrying strikes at Hezbollah locations.
People living within 2 km of the Lebanon border were asked to remain near bomb shelters until further notice. IDF also said that it is jamming GPS services along the northern and southern borders, and it may affect navigation applications.
In parallel to the operations along the Gaza border, Israeli forces have also been exchanging fire with Hezbollah along the Lebanon border on the north since the Hamas terror attack on 7 October. At least four Israeli soldiers, four Hezbollah terrorists, and five Palestinian terrorists have been killed in the exchanges. Both Hezbollah and Palestinian groups such as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have been targeting Israel in the north, using rockets, missiles, mortars, and even sending gunmen into Israel.
The tensions between Israel and Hamas further intensified as IDF furthered the attack on the terrorist locations with “greater force”. Residents of northern Gaza were issued a three-hour evacuation deadline, instructing them to move to the southern region for their own safety. IDF has accused Hamas of physically barring the Gaza residents from evacuating, saying they were “more useful dead than alive for Hamas”.
Israeli forces have announced they successfully eliminated the top commander of Hamas’s elite military wing, Nukhba force, during air strikes in Gaza. The commander was identified as Billal al-Qedra. Earlier, IDF announced that they were preparing for a coordinated assault in the Gaza Strip via air, ground and naval pathways.
Meanwhile, Iran has warned of “far-reaching consequences” if IDF does not cease bombardment at Hamas locations in Gaza. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Iran’s foreign minister reportedly met in Qatar to discuss the ongoing war and to reaffirm their commitment to cooperating in pursuing their shared goals.
Israel-Hamas war
On 7th October, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with 5,000 rockets in a matter of few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza. In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, more than 1,500 Hamas terrorists have been reportedly killed in the Israel-Hamas war. The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,300, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza, restricting power and water supply and blocking essential goods from entering the region. Over 400,000 Gaza residents have been evacuated so far. Meanwhile, India has launched Operation Ajay to evacuate Indians from Israel. Two batches of Indians have already been rescued, with over 200 people in each back.
