Netanyahu holds urgent security meeting on northern Lebanon front

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled an urgent security meeting on Saturday with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior army commanders to assess the deteriorating situation along the northern frontier, as rocket fire from Lebanon intensified and reached cities previously unaffected since the April ceasefire.

Emergency security talks

Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu will convene with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and northern commanders to evaluate the military's response to what the network described as an "uncontrollable situation" in the region. The Israeli military leadership was reportedly surprised by the scale of rocket barrages and Hezbollah's decision to alter its fire policy following the expansion of ground operations in southern Lebanon, according to the broadcaster. The same report cited "utter chaos" gripping the northern sector and criticized the government's apparent lack of concern.

Rocket fire reaches northern cities

Dozens of rockets were launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel on Saturday, striking Safed and Nahariya for the first time since the ceasefire took effect on April 17. Hezbollah said it conducted drone attacks targeting Israeli positions near the settlement of Natua and the Galilee Forest military camp, weaponry that Netanyahu has previously identified as a "major threat" due to detection difficulties. The group has increasingly relied on unmanned aerial vehicles in recent weeks, raising alarm in Israeli security circles.

Fragile truce under strain

Israeli Army Radio reported that warning sirens have sounded 1,099 times in northern Israel since the fragile ceasefire began. Despite the truce — extended for 45 days on May 17 following US-mediated indirect talks — Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued, killing more than 3,371 people since March 2 according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.