Lebanon fires 150 rockets into Israel as tensions with Hezbollah worsens

On September 20, over 150 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon at military sites and settlements in northern Israel within a one-hour span, according to the Israeli Army Radio. 

The barrage, reportedly carried out by the Lebanese group Hezbollah, targeted key areas such as Galilee and the Golan Heights in two separate waves, with approximately 130 rockets launched, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

An additional 20 rockets were fired later toward the Meron area, with most landing in open spaces, the Army Radio confirmed.

The Israeli response was swift, as artillery units began shelling multiple locations in southern Lebanon. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed the artillery strikes in retaliation. Fires also erupted in areas near Safed, and an Israeli settler was injured by shrapnel after a rocket struck his vehicle in the Golan Heights, local media reported. The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, with northern Israeli communities placed on high alert.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting several Israeli military positions, including the Al-Aliqa barracks, the headquarters of Israel’s 188th Armored Brigade, and air defence bases in Biriya and Kila. In response, the Israeli Air Force launched fresh airstrikes on several Hezbollah-controlled sites in southern Lebanon.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has worsened amid growing cross-border clashes, following Israel's offensive on Gaza last year, which has reportedly claimed over 41,300 lives, predominantly women and children. The recent escalation follows deadly explosions in Lebanon, which Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed on Israel. These blasts, affecting wireless devices across the country, killed dozens and injured thousands, further straining the fragile security situation.