Hezbollah, Israel exchange fire across southern Lebanon border

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah organization said it had fired dozens of rockets at open ground near Israeli positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms area on Friday in response to Israeli air strikes in Lebanon this week.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Suggesting its attack was calibrated to avoid further escalation, Hezbollah said it had targeted open ground near Israeli forces in retaliation for Israeli air strikes that had also struck open areas.

Israel said it did not wish to escalate to a full war, though it was ready for one.

Rockets were fired towards Israel from southern Lebanon triggering sirens in northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Israeli media reported that some of the rockets had been intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.

The Israeli military said sirens had sounded in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel, and in the Golan Heights, part of territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Rockets fired from Lebanon two days ago drew retaliatory Israeli shelling and air strikes, in an escalation of cross-border hostilities amid friction with Iran.

Read more:

Lebanon’s President Aoun says Israel’s air strikes show ‘aggression’ escalation

US condemns rocket attacks from Lebanon on Israel

Israel conducts air strikes on targets in south Lebanon: Statement