Massive rocket attack on Kiryat Shmona – ‘Hezbollah aggression nearing critical point’

Hezbollah’s continuous attacks on Israel are pushing the nation toward a decision to take military action in Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein during an intense day of skirmishes on Israel’s northern border on Tuesday.

A massive salvo of some 30 rockets was fired at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday evening, one of the largest of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah’s near-daily attacks on Israel since last October.

At least 10 of the rockets were intercepted by the IDF’s aerial missile defense systems, with one striking the yard of a home in a Kfar Blum and the rest falling into open areas, according to Israel Defense Forces. The home that was struck suffered minor damage but no injuries were reported, according to local authorities.

Iranian proxy Hezbollah fired a massive rocket barrage at Kiryat Shmona.

Israel’s missile defenses look like the Battle of Hogwarts. pic.twitter.com/ovDbdxCkYE

— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) March 5, 2024

Hochstein is in the region to continue efforts to reach a negotiated agreement to prevent a full escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. During a meeting in Beirut on Monday, he warned that if a war were to break out, it would not be containable.

“We are committed to the diplomatic process,” Gallant told the Hochstein. “However, Hezbollah’s aggression is bringing us closer to a critical point in the decision-making regarding our military activities in Lebanon.”

Gallant also warned that Hezbollah was “dragging the parties to a dangerous escalation,” according to a statement.

The heavy barrage fired at Kiryat Shmona was the high mark of an intense day of battles on Israel’s northern border, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility for at least eight attacks.

The 30-rocket barrage was the second attack at the area of Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday after an earlier, smaller rocket salvo caused some damage to a house and a shop in the city.

טיל נ"ט שנורה הלילה גרם לנזק כבד בלול תרנגולים במושב אביבים@rubih67 pic.twitter.com/YOIuoPEu2v

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 6, 2024

Another attack on Tuesday evening destroyed a large chicken coop in the town of Avivim, causing major damage but no injuries to humans.

Hezbollah claimed that the 30-rocket barrage was a response to earlier Israeli attacks in the area of Hula, which were initially reported to have killed three civilians, however, the terror group later identified them as three of its members.

לפני זמן קצר, מטוסי קרב תקפו עמדת שיגור במרחב א-טייבה ממנה בוצעו שיגורים למרחב קריית שמונה הערב. בנוסף, כלי טיס תקף עמדת שיגור נ"ט במרחב ערב אל לויזה ממנה בוצעו שיגורים למרחב קריית שמונה >> pic.twitter.com/e8jcZXFmeq

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 5, 2024

The IDF announced on Tuesday evening that, within an hour, fighter jets struck the launch site of the attack on Kiryat Shmona in the area of a-Tayba and another missile launch site in Arab al-Loyza, which had been used in attacks on Kiryat Shmona in recent weeks.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli jets struck Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Dabin and Ayta al-Sha’ab and conducted a large wave of strikes against six sites in southern Lebanon that had been used to attack Israeli targets recently. One of the targets was a military site in the Ayta al-Sha’ab area, from which two anti-tank missiles were launched toward the Biranit area.

In addition, Israeli military forces struck Hezbollah’s operational headquarters in the Jabal al-Batam area, launch positions in the al-Matmura area, and military buildings around Majdal Zoun, Hula and Kafra.