The Israeli army fired artillery rounds into South Lebanon in what it described as ‘retaliation’ for earlier rocket fire which triggered warning alarms in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and Upper Galilee.
On Friday, Israel’s army radio, Galei Tzahal, reported that artillery units were firing into South Lebanon in response to earlier missile attacks.
“The IDF is now attacking the sources of the shooting in Lebanon,” Galei Tzahal stated in a tweet.
In a social media post, the Israeli army said that more than ten rockets had been fired from southern Lebanon, claiming that “most of them (were) intercepted by air defense fighters and the rest fell in open areas in the Har Dov area.”
Tensions have flared since Wednesday when Israel shelled South Lebanon for the first time since its failed war of 2006. Israel also justified its attack as a response to shells fired from Lebanon towards Israel.
The Israel shelling was accompanied by a night air raid on alleged militant positions.
Israel has said Beirut is “responsible” for any “terrorist” attacks originating in Lebanon. In turn, the Lebanese authorities warned Israel against further escalation, warning to resort to the United Nations.
Israel’s overnight airstrikes highlight ‘aggressive intentions,’ Lebanese President
Michael Aoun said, blasting Israel and its “aggressive intentions” after Wednesday’s overnight airstrikes on Lebanese villages.
For its part, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has called on parties to prevent an escalation and said it would work with the Lebanese Armed Forces to follow up on the ground and reinforce security along the so-called Blue Line.
(Palestine Chronicle, RT, Social Media)
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