In retaliation to the largest barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon on Thursday, Israel on early Friday morning hit targets connected to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Lebanon and Gaza. The recent attacks come in the wake of increased tensions in the region following violence this week at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said early in the morning that it struck “terrorist” infrastructure linked to Hamas in southern Lebanon.
“The IDF will not allow the Hamas terrorist organization to operate from within Lebanon and holds the state of Lebanon responsible for every directed fire emanating from its territory,” it said in a statement on Twitter.
Responding to the attacks, Hamas said in a statement as per media reports: “We strongly condemn the blatant Zionist aggression against Lebanon in the vicinity of Tyre at dawn today”.
The rockets were fired a day after Israeli forces clashed with protesters and worshippers who came to Al Aqsa mosque to offer their prayers amid the holy month of Ramadan. Israeli police stationed at one of the hilltop mosque’s gates dispersed worshippers who chanted praise for Hamas while pushing their way into the limestone courtyard
Meanwhile, in Gaza, two weapon-manufacturing of Hamas sites in Gaza were targeted. According to the IDF, its fighter jets struck two “terror” tunnels in Beit Hanoun and Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip.
After the bombardment, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to ‘strike out enemies’ who will ‘pay a price for every act of aggression’.
According to the IDF; a dozen of rockets were launched from southern Lebanon- an area Hezbollah and Hamas control and also houses thousands of Palestinian refugees. The Iron Dome and anti-aircraft units intercept 25 and five fall within Israeli territory. The location of four rockets’ was unknown.