Hundreds of thousands in Israel take cover after new Hezbollah barrage

The Israeli military reported that over 100 projectiles were fired from Lebanon early Sunday, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents in northern Israel to seek shelter and resulting in school closures.

According to the military, "around 20 projectiles" were detected crossing from Lebanon just before 5:00 am (0200 GMT), followed by a second wave of "approximately 85 projectiles" after 6:00 am (0300 GMT).

"At that moment, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to take refuge in bomb shelters across northern Israel," said military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani in a statement to AFP.

The rocket fire triggered fires in the region, and Israel’s emergency medical services reported that at least four people sustained injuries from shrapnel, with three of them near the city of Haifa.

In response to the attack, Israel’s civil defense agency ordered the closure of all schools in northern Israel. The suspension of educational activities, impacting hundreds of thousands of students, is expected to last until at least Monday evening (1500 GMT), according to Shoshani.

"In Haifa, many schools are closed and offices remain empty," said Patrice Wolff, a local resident working in the medical sector. He noted growing tension between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

In retaliation for the rocket fire, Israel launched strikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Shoshani reported that Israeli forces struck several targets, primarily rocket launchers and their barrels, aiming to "prevent a larger-scale attack."

The ongoing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah has heightened concerns about a broader conflict, with Israeli officials indicating a shift in military focus from Gaza to Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.

AFP