In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, Hezbollah launched a devastating rocket attack on Haifa early Sunday morning, causing severe damage and resulting in casualties. The strike marks the deepest Hezbollah has targeted inside Israel since 2006, and it comes in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Beirut earlier this week, which killed several Hezbollah operatives and civilians.
Hezbollah fired about 150 rockets at northern Israel, and while many were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, several made it through and struck residential neighborhoods. One teenager was killed when he crashed his vehicle as he fled the incoming rockets, and at least three other civilians were injured. Haifa and its surrounding towns were left reeling as images of destroyed homes and buildings flooded social media.
The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had specifically targeted the Rafael Company, a defense contractor in Haifa, as well as the Ramat David Military Airport. Hezbollah’s statement called the strike a response to what it described as Israel’s “brutal massacre” during airstrikes on Lebanese territory. The attack on these strategic targets represents a significant escalation in both the scope and range of Hezbollah’s operations.
In addition to the rocket attacks, Israeli air defenses intercepted two cruise missiles and drones fired from Iraq. Israeli officials believe this indicates a coordinated effort between Hezbollah and Iran-linked paramilitary groups. The situation in northern Israel remains dire, with 80,000 residents still displaced and schools shut down.
Israeli authorities have ramped up military operations in southern Lebanon in response to the rocket barrage, but local residents are growing weary of the continued conflict. “It’s a miracle I survived,” said one Haifa resident after her home was hit by a Hezbollah rocket. “We can’t live like this anymore,” she added, expressing the frustration of many in the region who are hoping for an end to the violence.
