Northern front heats up: Hezbollah launches drone attack in response to killing of Hamas commander in Lebanon

Hezbollah drone hits rehabilitation center for disabled in Israel's north

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Following an IDF airstrike in Lebanon that eliminated killed Hamas commander Samer Mahmoud al-Hajj on Friday evening, the Hezbollah terror group launched several explosive drones into Israel’s northern communities on Saturday evening.

A statement released by the IDF said al-Hajj, a senior Hamas commander in Lebanon, was responsible for “advancing terror attacks and projectile launches from Lebanon toward Israeli territory.”

Israel Defense Forces also stated that al-Hajj was the commander of Hamas forces in the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, where he was responsible for “recruiting and training terrorists to attack the State of Israel.”

The IDF also targeted several Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Friday evening, including rocket launchers that were reportedly poised to strike Israel.

On Saturday evening, air raid sirens sounded in northern Israel and a number of UAVs were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Iron Dome interceptors were launched toward the drones, hitting one. Several ground impacts were identified from the drone and the interceptor, with no injuries reported but some property damage.

Footage posted to social media shows the apparent interception of a Hezbollah drone over northern Israel this evening. pic.twitter.com/vWCuNsxWl4
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 10, 2024

Hezbollah said was targeting the Michve Alon military base near Maghar, about 18 km (11 miles) from the Lebanon border. The terror group said the base is used by the IDF for storing munitions and as a staging ground for operations on its northern front.

Hezbollah confirmed the attack was a response to the “Zionist strike” which killed al-Hajj.

There were also several rocket launches detected crossing over into Israeli territory on Saturday. The rockets fell in open areas, and at least one rocket ignited a fire near Kissufim. According to local reports, firefighters were battling five separate blazes on Saturday evening as a result of the rocket attack.

On Saturday morning, a Hezbollah terrorist was identified entering a military structure in the area of Tayr Harfa in southern Lebanon. Shortly after, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) targeted the structure.

IDF soldiers also identified several rocket launchers in the areas of Houla and Khilat al-Daba in southern Lebanon. The IAF later destroyed these sites. In addition, the military reported that the IAF targeted a Hezbollah UAV prepared for launch and a terrorist from Hezbollah’s aerial unit operating in the area.

Military structures and a weapons storage facility in the areas of Hanine, Ayta ash Shab, Khiam, and Blida in southern Lebanon were also struck by IAF aircraft.

Israel's Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Campus for the Disabled in the Mount Hermon Regional Council sustained heavy damage from drone and rocket attacks on Sunday morning.

Earlier today, a Hezbollah drone struck a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities in Israel.

There was wall-to-wall coverage after the IDF struck a school used by terrorists, yet zero news coverage of terrorists striking a health center in Israel. Now why is that? pic.twitter.com/VVArYS2Q8m
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) August 11, 2024

Mt. Hermon Regional Council head Beni Ben Muvchar told the Maariv news site he survived a direct hit on the rehabilitation center.

“At the time of the shooting, I was in the center's parking lot, and as a result of the drone blast, I fell backwards and flew away from the explosion. The damage to the building is very serious, the damage is enormous, but we are not discouraged,” Muvchar said.

On Sunday morning, an anti-tank missile hit a home in a Western Galilee village that had already been evacuated. The attack caused significant damage to the property, but the homeowner was not present at the time, and there were no casualties or injuries reported.