Hezbollah claims it attacked Israeli military sites with rockets and drones

Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired volleys of Katyusha and Falaq rockets at six Israeli military positions. Its Al-Manar television station reported that more than 100 rockets were fired simultaneously.

Hezbollah’s statement said it also launched drone attacks on the headquarters of Israel’s Northern Command, an intelligence headquarters and a military barracks.

A security source told Reuters that at least 30 attack drones were fired simultaneously, making it the group’s largest drone attack so far in the eight-month war.

There have been almost daily exchanges of fire between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since the Gaza war began in October, but there has been a significant increase in gunfire over the past two days following the Israeli attack that killed the Hezbollah commander.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah said it had carried out at least eight attacks that day in retaliation.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities in northern Israel on Thursday and Israeli officials said about 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon in the afternoon.

The state broadcaster Kan broadcast footage of numerous aerial rocket interceptions over Israeli cities, including Safed, about 12 kilometers from the border.

Two people were injured by shrapnel, the Israeli rescue service said.

More than 300 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, according to a Reuters count. That’s more than in 2006, when the two sides last fought a major war. The number of civilians killed is around 80, according to the count.

Israel said 18 Israeli soldiers and ten civilians were killed in attacks from Lebanon.

The exchanges of fire also displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.

“Peace will return to our north through diplomatic or military means. Israel will defend itself. There should be no doubt about that. This (situation) cannot be a permanent reality,” said Israeli government spokesman David Mencer.

In a draft communiqué, the G7 heads of state and government expressed their deep concern about the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border at their meeting in Italy.