Sharjah 24 – AFP: Lebanon's Hezbollah fired more than 10 rockets into Israel Friday, prompting retaliatory shelling, in a major escalation between the Iran-backed movement and the Israel.
A flareup along the border this week has seen Israel carry out its first air strikes on Lebanese territory in seven years and Hezbollah claim a direct rocket attack on Israeli territory for the first time since 2019.
"This is a very dangerous situation, with escalatory actions seen on both sides over the past two days," the United Nations peacekeeping force in the border region, UNIFIL, said in a statement calling on "parties to cease fire and maintain calm".
Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets at open ground near Israeli positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms border district.
It said the attack came in response to Israeli air strikes on south Lebanon Thursday which where the first since 2014.
An AFP correspondent in south Lebanon said he heard several explosions and saw smoke rising from around the Shebaa Farms.
The Israeli military said more than 10 rockets were fired, most of which it intercepted, while the rest landed in open areas.
UNIFIL reported an "artillery response from Israel in the Shebaa Farms area", following the Hezbollah rocket attack.
For an optimal experience, please
