Hezbollah forces in Lebanon fired approximately 115 rockets into Israel early Sunday, with some reaching areas near the northern city of Haifa, extending their range to previously untargeted locations amid the ongoing conflict, Israeli media outlets reported.
News reports said that Hezbollah targeted a military airport located in the northern Jezreel Valley, triggering sirens across the region and in various areas of the occupied Golan Heights and Upper Galilee.
Tensions escalated last week after Israel's killing of some Hezbollah commanders and a series of communication device explosions that killed dozens and injured thousands in Lebanon.
Rockets landed in Kyriat Bialik on the northern outskirts of Haifa, Israel's third largest city. The vast majority of the 150 rockets fired were intercepted, but the few that did hit the ground sent a clear message to the residents here about their new reality.
Buildings were damaged and cars caught fire near Haifa. The Israeli Magen David Adom emergency service said four people were injured by shrapnel, including a 76-year-old man who sustained moderate wounds, while the other three were lightly injured.
"We heard sirens. We ran to the bomb shelter. And then, we heard a huge noise, and we thought in the beginning that it hit our house," said Liora, a resident of Kiryat Bialik in northern Israel.
"I feel more afraid. I don't know what happens tomorrow, after tomorrow. It's life," said Chaim Elharar, another resident of Kiryat Bialik.
The Israeli military said in a statement that Hezbollah's rockets were fired toward "civilian areas" and that its defensive systems "are deployed in the area and on high alert to thwart threats."
The Israeli military carried out additional airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning and vowed that its strikes "will continue and intensify against Hezbollah."
Following the rocket attack, Israel's Home Front Command announced that schools would be closed and gatherings and movements would be restricted in all areas north of Haifa.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying that they were targeting a military industry complex of Rafael, a weapons company.
The attacks, Hezbollah said, were the "initial response to the brutal massacre" on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Israel allegedly caused thousands of pagers and wireless devices to explode, killing at least 37 people, including civilians, and injuring thousands. An Israeli airstrike on the weekend in Beirut targeted a senior Hezbollah commander, killing at least 45 people.
Also before dawn, multiple drones approached Israel from the direction of Iraq. The Israeli military said they were intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory.
Hezbollah fires over 110 rockets into Israel
Hezbollah fires over 110 rockets into Israel
