Rocket Barrage Hits Northern Israel

Ha’aretz

At least three Katyusha rockets fired from south Lebanon exploded in northern Israel early Thursday morning, leaving two people lightly wounded and a number of others suffering from shock.

Israel Defense Forces troops immediately fired five artillery shells at Lebanon in response to the rockets, an Israeli security source said.

Residents of the western Galilee on Wednesday reported that between three to five rockets hit their communities, with one falling near Nahariya.

At least one of the rockets hit an old-age home in Nahariya. One person was wounded from shards of glass which exploded from the shrapnel.

Local residents have been told to open their bomb shelters and that school has been canceled.

Lebanese security sources said that schools in south Lebanon were closed, however, due to fear of Israeli reprisal.

Intelligence officials had warned about possible rocket attacks from Lebanon prior to the Israel Defense Forces air and ground offensive was launched in Gaza almost two weeks ago.

In recent days, the IDF had raised its alert level on the northern front, based on information that the warnings will be realized.

Based on past experience, it appears likely that a Palestinian organization, inspired by but not connected to Hezbollah, fired the rockets. Lebanese officials also said on Wednesday that Palestinian groups, and not Hezbollah, had fired the rockets into Israel.

Israel has been preparing for the possibility of Hezbollah igniting a second front, saying it would retaliate massively.

The cabinet also had a northern front in mind when it approved a call-up of thousands of IDF reservists last week.