Israel attacks Hamas positions in Gaza, Lebanon following rocket fire

Israeli fighter jets attacked Hamas positions in Gaza and southern Lebanon overnight in response to the 34 rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel on Thursday afternoon. 

The IDF said on Thursday that Hamas was responsible for the rockets from Lebanon, but that Israel holds Lebanon responsible for any violence coming from its territory. The army also said it was checking whether Iran had been involved in the rocket attacks.

Following a security cabinet meeting late Thursday night, the IDF attacked 11 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, including two terror tunnels and weapons manufacturing, as well Hamas “terror infrastructures” in Lebanon.

“The IDF will not allow the Hamas terrorist organisation to operate from within Lebanon and holds the state of Lebanon responsible for every directed fire emanating from its territory,” the army said.

In response, Hamas fired 44 rockets from Gaza at southern Israel overnight. The IDF said its military response was over for now, but that it was ready to respond to any more rockets or violence coming from Hamas in Gaza and Lebanon.

Hamas called Israeli attacks in Lebanon a “blatant aggression” and that Israel would “the price for its crimes.” Hamas leader Ishmael Hanieyh is currently in Beirut where he met with both Hezbollah officials as well as the leadership of Islamic Jihad.

The rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel were widely condemned by the U.S., France and Germany, with the Biden administration saying Israel had the right to defend itself.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it had been in touch with both Lebanon and Israel, saying: “Both sides have said they do not want a war.”

The IDF said it was calling up additional infantry and artillery forces for the Southern and Northern Command “to strengthen defences for possible scenarios.”

“The forces are at a high level of readiness in the north, in the south, and in (the West Bank)… in order to respond to sudden events and attempts to harm residents,” the IDF spokesperson said.

The rocket attack from Lebanon is widely seen as Hamas’ responding to recent clashes between Israeli Police and Palestinians inside the Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

Islamic Jihad called the rockets from Lebanon “a heroic operation against the Israeli crimes in the Al-Aqsa mosque.”

Over 350 Palestinians were arrested earlier this week after firing fireworks and rockets at Israeli police inside the mosque, which is located on the Temple Mount.

Israeli Police cracked down harshly on the riots, with video documentation showing police officers beating Palestinians with batons.

“All eyes are on East Jerusalem now,” an IDF spokesperson said on Friday.