Hezbollah claims seven rocket attacks on Israeli forces near Lebanon border

The Lebanese group Hezbollah said Friday it had launched seven separate attacks against Israeli military gatherings in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, marking the latest escalation in the two-week-old conflict along the border. In a statement, the group characterized the strikes as being "in response to the criminal Israeli aggression" against Lebanese cities and Beirut's southern suburbs.

Targets along the border

Hezbollah's operations targeted multiple locations including Israeli forces at Marj opposite the border town of Markaba, positions near the Khiam detention center, Khallat al-Asafir, Hammams Hill, and the settlement of Kfar Giladi in northern Israel. The Israeli military had not commented on Hezbollah's claims as of Friday afternoon.

Heavy toll on Lebanon

The attacks come amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon that began March 2, which have killed 687 people, wounded 1,774, and displaced approximately 822,000 civilians. The current escalation follows Hezbollah's March 2 decision to target northern Israel despite a ceasefire in place since November 2024, citing Israel's continued attacks on Lebanese territory as justification. Israel responded with airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, followed by a limited ground incursion beginning March 3.

Regional conflict fuels border war

The Lebanon front is directly linked to the broader regional conflict that erupted after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 killed hundreds, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah, as a key Iranian ally, has positioned itself as part of Tehran's axis of resistance, opening a northern front against Israel that threatens to further expand the war and deepen the humanitarian crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians.