Hezbollah claims rocket attack deep inside northern Israel

Hezbollah has said that it launched dozens of rockets at Israel’s Ramat David Airbase, east of Haifa, in response to a series of Israeli attacks that killed civilians in Lebanon.

Sirens were activated across northern Israel in the early hours of Sunday.

If confirmed, the assault would be Hezbollah’s farthest-reaching attack inside Israel since the start of the ongoing cross-border clashes in October last year.

The Israeli military said 10 rockets were launched from Lebanon and most were intercepted.

On Saturday, the Israeli army said it carried out hundreds of air strikes across southern Lebanon in an effort to abort a Hezbollah attack.

The Israeli military also issued restrictions on large gatherings in northern Israel, including Haifa – the country’s third-largest city.

There have been no reports of casualties or other impacts of the rockets in Israel on Sunday.

Reporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem highlighted the significance of the Lebanese group’s attack.

“This is the first time since the 2006 war [between Israel and Hezbollah] that Hezbollah’s missiles crossed” beyond 20km (12 miles), Hashem said.

“This is the first time that they’re hitting targets towards 45km [30 miles], 50km [31 miles], because we’re hearing reports of impacts or interceptions in several areas, including above the Ramat David Airbase to the east of Haifa.”

In its statement, Hezbollah said it carried out the attack with so-called Fadi 1 and Fadi 2 rockets, not the World War II era, Soviet-made Katyusha rockets that it has been using over the past several months.

The latest barrage of rocket fire comes after a week of Israeli attacks across Lebanon.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, wireless communication devices associated with Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon, injuring thousands and killing dozens, including civilians. Lebanon blamed the unprecedented attack on Israel.

Israel also conducted an air strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday that killed at least 38 people and injured dozens more.

Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil was among those killed in the attack that levelled an entire residential building.

Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in daily clashes since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza.

The Lebanese group says it will continue its attacks on Israeli bases in the north of the country until Israel ends its Gaza offensive.

The violence has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.

The two sides appear to be in an escalatory spiral, risking a major conflict. Hezbollah has said that it is not seeking an all-out war, but it is ready for one should it occur.

Israeli leaders have promised to push Hezbollah off Israel’s border and return its citizens to communities in the north, including through war if necessary.

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