Rocket fire causes several fires in northern Israel as tension escalates with Hezbollah

JERUSALEM

A barrage of rockets was launched from Lebanon into northern Israel on Saturday, triggering fires amid a rising border escalation with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, according to Israeli media.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth said that around 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel.

Israeli firefighting teams were dispatched to extinguish several fires that broke out in open areas from the rocket fire, including in the city of Safed and the settlement of Bet, the newspaper said.

Israeli Channel 12 said a rocket directly hit a house in the settlement of Kadita in Upper Galilee, where videos showed the house completely engulfed in flames.

Israeli authorities instructed residents of Safed and the settlement of Qatzrin as well as several other settlements in the Galilee and the Golan Heights to remain close to shelters in anticipation of further escalation.

Israel is on high alert amid anticipation of an imminent response from Hezbollah to Friday’s deadly attack that killed at least 38 people, including children and women, and injured dozens in Beirut’s southern suburb.

Hezbollah confirmed that at least 16 of its members, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Ahmed Wahbi, were killed in the Israeli strike.

The attack came two days after at least 37 people were killed and over 3,000 others injured in two waves of wireless communication device explosions across Lebanon.

While the Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the explosions, Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its involvement.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul​​​​​​​