Jerusalem: Israel claimed on Saturday that it intercepted two ‘suspicious aerial substances’ launched from the east, as well as four drones and 35 missiles from Lebanon, following warning sirens that were activated in Eilat in the south and Nahariya and parts of western Galilee in the north. The Israeli army said in a statement that it detected and intercepted two “suspicious aerial substances” launched from the east before they entered Israeli airspace. “Suspicious aerial substance” usually refers to drones, whereas “east” is typically used by the Israeli army to refer to Iraq. Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters used drones to target a “vital site” in Eilat.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli army also reported that four drones and about 35 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Haifa Bay and the Galilee region. Israel’s Channel 13 reported that 30 rockets were targeted specifically at Kiryot in Haifa Bay. Hezbollah, in a series of
statements, said it struck the Stella Maris naval base northwest of Haifa, the Shraga base near Acre, and the Tirat Carmel base south of Haifa.
Tensions in the region have increased due to Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in significant casualties, with nearly 43,800 people, mostly women and children, killed since last year. The conflict has now spread to Lebanon, prompting Israel to launch strikes across the country, marking an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah that began with the Gaza conflict.