Israel launches airstrikes on S. Lebanon after Hezbollah's retaliatory attacks

This photo posted on social media shows Israeli air defense systems launched for interception in northern Israel on July 4, 2024. (Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army said Thursday that it launched airstrikes on Lebanon after the Lebanese group Hezbollah fired at least 175 rockets, missiles and drones at northern Israel in retaliation for an airstrike that killed one of its senior commanders.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that about 160 rockets and missiles, as well as more than 15 drones, were fired at northern Israel.

"Numerous projectiles and suspicious aerial targets crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory," IDF said, adding that its Aerial Defense Array and the Israel Air Force "operated to intercept them and successfully intercepted several targets and projectiles."

However, some explosive drones and shrapnel from the interceptions hit several areas, sparking fires, the army said.

"The IDF is currently striking launch posts in southern Lebanon," read the statement.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah confirmed earlier in the day that it attacked several Israeli sites in response to Israel's assassination of a senior commander, Mohammad Naameh Nasser, in Lebanon's southwest city of Tyre.

"Today, Thursday, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombed, with 20 drones and about 200 Katyusha and Falaq missiles, several Israeli sites and leadership headquarters in the Galilee and the occupied Syrian Golan," Hezbollah said in a statement.

According to the statement, Hezbollah attacked the bases of Eilat, Katsavia, Dadu, Kiryat Shmona, the Zarit and Al-Raheb sites, and the Keila barracks.

A Lebanese military source told Xinhua that the Lebanese army positions monitored the launching of about 25 drones and more than 150 surface-to-surface missiles from the Lebanese side to the Israeli side, and some of them were intercepted by Israeli Iron Dome missiles.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

This photo posted on social media shows Israeli air defense systems launched for interception in northern Israel on July 4, 2024. (Xinhua)