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Israel holds Lebanon responsible for escalation – first shelling from Lebanese territory in months of silence
On 22 March, in the morning, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) struck dozens of launchers and the command headquarters of the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon. This was in response to the morning rocket fire from Lebanese territory, which for the first time broke the relative calm on Israel’s northern border.
According to the IDF press service, at 7:32-7:33 a.m., the “Tzeva Adom” alarm sounded in the border town of Metula. At least six rockets were launched, three of which were successfully intercepted by air defence systems. The missiles that hit their targets caused explosions, but there have been no reports of casualties.
The army press service stressed that the shelling was a flagrant violation of the existing agreements between Israel and Lebanon and a direct threat to the lives of Israeli citizens. The statement also emphasised that the State of Lebanon is responsible for complying with these agreements.
“Any attack from Lebanese territory is considered an aggression for which the Lebanese leadership itself is responsible,” the IDF said in a statement.
In response to the escalation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to respond immediately and decisively to the attack. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the IDF was ordered to strike dozens of terrorist targets, including Hizbullah infrastructure and firing positions in Lebanon.
The attack was the first after a several-month pause that followed an informal ceasefire along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Experts warn that the incident could be the beginning of a new round of tension between Israel and Hezbollah, which is closely linked to Iran and has a significant military presence in southern Lebanon.
