Four Israelis injured in Hezbollah missile attack on northern border
Lebanese terror group claims at least 10 missile and mortar attacks across the border; IDF hits sites in Lebanon, downs suspected explosive-laden drone that crossed border
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Four Israelis were wounded in a Hezbollah anti-tank guided missile attack from Lebanon on an area near the northern community of Menara on Friday, according to the military.
The Rambam hospital in Haifa said all four were lightly wounded by shrapnel.
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for more than 10 missile and mortar attacks on northern Israel on Friday.
A rocket was also fired from Lebanon at the Mount Dov area on the northern border, causing no injuries.
The Israel Defense Forces said fighter jets and combat helicopters carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in response to the repeated missile and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
The IDF said the targets included infrastructure belonging to the terror group, command centers, and observation posts.
לפני זמן קצר, מטוסי ומסוקי קרב השלימו תקיפה של מטרות טרור בשטח לבנון, בתגובה לשיגורים של חיזבאללה ביממה האחרונה לעבר שטח ישראל.
בין המטרות שנתקפו, מספר תשתיות טרור, אתרים, מפקדות ועמדות צבאיות בהם פעלו מחבלי הארגון >> pic.twitter.com/NyXMS9lBGY
— דובר צה״ל אפי דפרין – Effie Defrin (@IDFSpokesperson) November 17, 2023
Earlier, the IDF said soldiers downed a suspected explosive-laden drone after it crossed the border from Lebanon into Israel near Metula.
Several mortars were also fired from Lebanon at the northern communities of Adamit and Arab al-Aramshe, setting off sirens.
All the projectiles landed in open areas, causing no injuries or damage, the IDF said, adding that troops shelled the source of the fire with artillery.
In addition, a number of rockets were fired at Israeli army positions on the border, close to the northern communities of Malkia and Menara.
There were no reports of injuries in the other attacks.
IDF says there were several missile and mortar attacks on northern Israel today, against areas near Shomera, Shtula, and Menara. It says troops responded with artillery shelling at the sources of the fire, and fighter jets struck Hezbollah sites.
Earlier, the IDF says soldiers… pic.twitter.com/108dH5SExB
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) November 17, 2023
Additionally, the IDF says fighter jets hit a number of Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, including a weapons depot.
It added that troops also hit a terror cell in southern Lebanon that was preparing an attack near the northern village of Arab al-Aramshe.
Since Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7 and during the subsequent war inside Gaza, where Israel seeks to topple the ruling terror group, the Iran-backed Hezbollah has conducted and overseen daily assaults on Israel’s northern border from Lebanon, but has stopped short of launching a full-scale campaign.
Israel, too, has sought to respond strongly to attacks while avoiding actions that would escalate the conflict as it seeks to keep its focus on Gaza.
The persistent skirmishes along the border have resulted in three civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of six IDF soldiers.
On the Lebanese side, nearly 100 have been killed. The toll includes at least 74 Hezbollah members, eight Palestinian terrorists, a number of civilians and one Reuters journalist.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned Hezbollah that it was “playing with fire.”
“There are those who think they can expand their attacks against our troops and against civilians. This is playing with fire,” Netanyahu said, without explicitly mentioning Hezbollah. “Fire will be met with much stronger fire. They must not try us, because we have displayed only a little part of our power. We will harm those who harm us.”
