Hezbollah steps up attacks against Israel the day before fateful Nasrallah speech
Attacks possibly coordinated with Hamas and Houthis
Just one day before a planned speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese terror organization markedly stepped up its attacks against Israel on Thursday.
After a relatively quiet morning, Hezbollah carried out a broad attack with at least 25 rockets and mortar bombs targeting around 6 locations along the border at the same time.
Hezbollah then claimed, for the first time during the war, to have attacked IDF positions in the Mount Dov area with two suicide drones armed with explosives.
Shortly after, rocket barrages were fired toward the area of Safed and Mount Meron, and then twice in a matter of minutes in the area surrounding the city of Kiryat Shmona.
Several rockets were intercepted, while others fell in open areas, Army Radio reported. Loud explosions were heard in the area.
One rocket hit a home in Kiryat Shmona, wounding two Israeli citizens and causing a small fire.
A branch of Hamas based in Lebanon claimed responsibility for firing 12 rockets at Kiryat Shmona.
In response, the IDF shelled the sources of the fire with artillery and attacked several military targets belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The first barrage at Kiryat Shmona and its surroundings coincided with a barrage fired from the Gaza Strip at central Israel, as well as unconfirmed Egyptian reports of an explosion – possibly an interception – near the southern city of Eilat.
This would be the first incident of coordinated rocket fire on multiple fronts during the war and represents a notable escalation in less than 24 hours before Nasrallah's speech.
Also on Thursday, the IDF’s Arabic speaking spokesman wrote on X that an Iran-backed Shi’ite militia from Syria, called the “Imam Hussein Brigades,” sent forces to southern Lebanon “after a series of failures suffered by Hezbollah.”
The militia had already taken part in the border skirmishes with Israel and warned that Hezbollah and the Imam Hussein Brigades are “dragging Lebanon into paying a heavy price for Hamas-ISIS,” the spokesman added.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.