Hezbollah drone hits Galilee after overnight barrage on Safed sparked forest fire

IDF says majority of projectiles intercepted, remainder fell in open areas; Iran-backed terror group claims attack was revenge for Israeli strike in southern Lebanon a day earlier

By Emanuel Fabian
and ToI Staff 13 September 2024, 9:23 amUpdated at 1:54 pm Edit
Firefighting crews work to extinguish a blaze in the Birya Forest, north of Safed, following a Hezbollah rocket barrage, September 13, 2024. (Israel Fire and Rescue Services)
Firefighting crews work to extinguish a blaze in the Birya Forest, north of Safed, following a Hezbollah rocket barrage, September 13, 2024. (Israel Fire and Rescue Services)

The Hezbollah terror group fired some 20 rockets toward the northern city of Safed early Friday morning, sparking a large blaze in a nearby forest and causing minor damage to a building in another community, authorities said.

No injuries were reported in the attack claimed by the Lebanese group, which said it had targeted a military installation in revenge for a deadly strike in southern Lebanon a day earlier.

The Israel Defense Forces said some 20 rockets were fired toward Safed at around 1 a.m., setting off alarms in the city and surrounding Upper Galilee towns.

The majority of rockets were intercepted, the IDF said in a statement, and the remainder fell in uninhabited areas.

Sirens in nearby areas were activated over fears of falling shrapnel from Iron Dome interceptor missiles.

No injuries were reported in the early morning barrage, the IDF said. However, the rocket fire sparked a blaze in the Birya Forest, north of Safed, according to authorities.

Firefighting crews were dispatched to the scene and eventually managed to get the blaze under control, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services said shortly before 7 a.m.

A rocket fragment also caused minor damage to a building in the nearby community of Dalton, the Kan public broadcaster said, publishing a photo of a small hole punched through a structure.

Safed lies some 13 kilometers (eight miles) from the border with Lebanon, and unlike many communities nearer the frontier, the city of some 38,000 remains largely inhabited, with attacks that deep into Israel relatively uncommon.

In its statement claiming the attack, Hezbollah said that it had launched the barrage as revenge for what it said was an Israeli strike in the village of Kfarjouz on Thursday. The Iran-backed group claimed to have targeted a key air defense site north of Safed.

Sirens again sounded in Safed and nearby communities on Friday, warning of a drone attack. Footage posted to social media showed a Hezbollah drone flying over the area.

The IDF said the drone launched impacted an unspecified area in the Upper Galilee. “The target did not fall in any towns in the area,” the military clarified.

Separately, two rockets were launched from Lebanon at the Misgav Am area on Friday. Both were intercepted by air defenses, the IDF said.

Another rocket launched from Lebanon at Snir struck an open area.

No injuries were caused in the attacks.

The last several days have seen cross-border fire appear to intensify somewhat, with Hezbollah launching around 100 rockets into Israel on Wednesday and dozens more on Thursday.

The Lebanese health ministry said on Thursday that three people were killed and three others injured in a strike on the village, located some 10 kilometers from the border with Israel.

Speaking to AFP, a source close to Hezbollah confirmed that at least one of those killed was a member of the Iran-backed terror group.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the strike “targeted two motorcycles on the Nabatieh-Kfarjouz road,” adding that a passing car was also hit.

The Lebanese health ministry said an “Israeli enemy strike” hit the village of Kfarjouz near Nabatieh, around 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border with Israel.

The IDF said it struck several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon over the course of Thursday, including buildings in Aitaroun, Marimin, Chihne and Maroum al-Ras. It also said it destroyed rocket launchers in Zibquin and Majdal Zoun, including one used in previous attacks on Israel.

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.

So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 26 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 20 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 438 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. Another 78 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have also been killed.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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