Overnight three rockets struck Israel from southern Lebanon, marking the second instance of crossfire between the Mediterranean states since the beginning of the military offensive in the besieged Gaza Strip. The rockets landed in Nahariya, a beachside community ten kilometers from the Lebanese border. Lebanese officials and a United Nations monitoring group have combed the area, but have yet to find the launch site or name the group who is responsible.
Israel responded last night by firing retaliatory artillery shells into the area where the rockets are presumed to have been launched from, in Zebqin and Qulayleh. Lebanon’s Daily Star noted that there are two Palestinian refugee camps in that region, which are thought to be the launch site. No injuries or casualties were reported on either side.
On Friday two grad rockets were fired from Lebanon, and Lebanese police made an arrest following the incident where they also discovered additional materials prepared for launch. That operation was carried out by the armed group al-Jamaa al-Islamiya. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also sent 25 artillery shells to the location where the first round of rockets was fired.
Al-Qassam Brigades Twitter account posted last night that a newly armed wing called Mohammed Abu Khdeir Brigades was responsible for launching the attack on Israel. Although there is no confirmation on culpability, it seems unlikely that the rockets came from Hezbollah who typically claims responsibility after targeting Israel.
What is most plausible is that the on-going air-strikes levied at the Gaza Strip, which have claimed the lives of more than 160 Palestinians in less than one week, is sparking attacks from Palestinians and their sympathizers in southern Lebanon rather than renewed hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The foes have remained relatively quiet since ceasefire in 2006, despite regular violations, including Israeli forces invading Lebanese air space and surveillance, and the incomplete disarmament of Hezbollah.
Arab regimes where are you? Hello?
Arab regimes could finish of the occupier in 1 day.
But they wont they are so allied with US/Israel.
The headline….
Is alarmist and utterly wrong.
I’m in south Lebanon and there is NOTHING war-like going on; all I can hear around here are birds singing in the pine trees. Yeah sure a couple of rockets yesterday were launched from Tyre, a couple more the day before – that’s about it and this does not make for a spreading of war. (I’m about twenty-two miles NE of Tyre btw). I wouldn’t call it a “war” unless the hizb is involved and they’re not involved in either rocket launch.
When the hizb decides it’s time to open a war front here in the south, believe me, EVERYONE will know about it. And it wouldn’t be referred to as the war has “spread” to Lebanon, but it will be referred to as the launch of the War of Liberation.
Sorry, Alison, I like much of your writing, but I really don’t see the point of this article in the slightest.
The IDF is assuring us that the rockets aimed at Tel Aviv were ‘intercepted’. Of course, we only have their word to go on for that. Isn’t it funny how, when Israel needs rockets to land in Israel for ‘playing the victim’ purposes, none of them seem to be ‘intercepted’, yet when one threatens to hit a major city, and thus damage the Israeli image of invincibility, suddenly the Paper Dome is 100% effective?
I’ve also read that even when rockets appear to be ‘intercepted’, what actually happens is that the explosives fall intact to the ground, where they can still cause damage. It’s hard to get reliable info on the ‘Iron Dome’. Official Israeli and US sources are obviously suspect, but so are more critical pieces from ‘analysts’ working for rival merchants of death. Maybe someone here is a bit more clued-in on the real efficacy, or lack thereof, of the ‘Iron Dome’.
Not to worry. Israel will get away with this latest turkey shoot, as it has done always. Dick and Jane are duped, their reps in Congress and WH are bribed. Shelly Adelson and Soros and Hagee know what’s happening. Dick n Jane don’t. They are wondering what all the fuss is about the World Cup today, and cooking burgers in the back yard, waiting for US football season to start.
There’s a simpler explanation about where the explosives went. Your darlings are grandstanding: to maximize flight distance, they minimize weight by cutting back on explosives or omitting them altogether. And they trust you to fall for it, as you do.