Israel strikes terror targets in Lebanon amid rocket, drone sirens in northern towns
Three drone infiltration alerts sound near border, with IDF saying it intercepted two suspicious targets; tanks and artillery hit south Lebanon, IAF strikes terror cell
Rocket and drone infiltration sirens repeatedly rang out in northern Israeli communities Tuesday, as the Israel Defense Forces struck several targets and terror cells in Lebanon and clashes along the northern border continued.
Shortly before midnight, the IDF announced that two reservists were moderately wounded in a missile attack against an army post near the northern community of Malkia earlier in the day.
Alerts signaling possible infiltrations by unmanned aerial vehicles sounded three times in the afternoon, with the Israeli military saying two suspicious targets were intercepted by air defense troops.
The military said it carried out airstrikes against multiple Hezbollah targets, including a cell of terror operatives, posts, weapons caches and more. Tanks also shelled a Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon, and artillery shelled an area on the border near Yir’on to “remove a threat.”
Artillery was fired in several other cases, including in response to rocket launches.
The Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon has sent several explosive-laden drones across the border, but there have also been several false alarms. The terror group has also carried out dozens of missile and rocket attacks in recent weeks, including shooting six projectiles at the Yiftah area late Tuesday.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר תקפו לפני זמן קצר שורת מטרות צבאיות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בשטח לבנון, בין המטרות שנתקפו, תשתיות טרור, מבנים צבאיים, מחסן אמצעי לחימה ועמדת שיגור של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה>> pic.twitter.com/l315MNCF1T
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 19, 2023
Shortly after, an aircraft struck the launcher and cell behind the rocket attack, the IDF said.
The IDF added that separately, an airstrike was carried out against a Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon in response to the attack.
בהמשך להתרעה במרחב יפתח, לוחמי ההגנה האווירית יירטו בהצלחה שישה שיגורים משטח לבנון. דקות ספורות לאחר מכן, כלי טיס של חיל האוויר תקף בשטח לבנון את המשגר ואת חוליית המחבלים שביצעה את הירי>> pic.twitter.com/UCKxlF9IHM
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 19, 2023
Monday, too, saw Israeli warplanes carry out strikes against several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in response to attacks on the border, as rocket and drone warning sirens sounded across northern Israeli towns.
A video circulating on social media appeared to show an IDF airstrike on southern Lebanon near a funeral service being held for a slain Hezbollah member.
Hezbollah responded to the incident by threatening that any Israeli attacks on civilians “will be reciprocated.”
An IDF drone hit near a funeral of a Hezbollah member today in Lebanon pic.twitter.com/658TxaTiBA
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) December 18, 2023
Israel has warned it will no longer tolerate the presence of the terror group along the northern frontier after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, in which thousands of terrorists burst into Israel from Gaza, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping over 240, mostly civilians.
Since that date, 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 on the border have resulted in four civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of seven IDF soldiers. There have also been a number of rocket attacks from Syria, without any injuries.
On the Lebanese side, more than 120 have been killed. The toll includes 111 Hezbollah members — some of whom were killed in Syria — 16 Palestinian terror operatives, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 17 civilians, three of whom were journalists.
Since October 7, the Israel Air Force’s air traffic control has identified and thwarted more than 100 aerial threats, including drones and cruise missiles, according to IDF data released Monday.
The IDF said that the threats were downed using fighter jets and other air defenses, while publishing footage showing some of the interceptions.
מההפללה ועד לתקיפה: למעלה מ-100 איומים אוויריים סוכלו על ידי חיל האוויר במשימת הגנת שמי המדינה:
מתחילת הלחימה, מזהים מערך הבקרה ומערך הקרב של חיל האוויר איומים ומטרות עוינות רחוקות טווח >> pic.twitter.com/rYz6xL6qTb
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) December 18, 2023