Hezbollah attacked northern Israel, IDF struck targets in Lebanon
On the night of 2 March, the Shiite group Hezbollah attacked northern Israel with rockets and drones, according to The Times of Israel.
Air raid sirens sounded in Haifa and its surroundings. The Israel Defence Forces later confirmed that the attacks were coming from Lebanon. According to the military, one rocket was intercepted by air defence systems, while at least two others fell in a field. At least two drones were shot down over Upper Galilee.
The Israel Defence Forces reported that it had responded by striking targets associated with Hezbollah throughout Lebanon. Dozens of strikes were reported on the group's headquarters and infrastructure in Beirut and its surroundings, as well as in the south of the country.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said, "We were preparing for action on several fronts and an offensive campaign against Hezbollah. Any enemy that threatens our security will pay a heavy price; we will not allow harm to come to the residents of the State of Israel or the northern border."
The day before, Hezbollah issued a statement promising to avenge the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on 28 February during a joint Israeli-US operation against Iran.
Al Jazeera notes that the President and Prime Minister of Lebanon have called for the country not to be drawn into a new war.
Since November 2024, when a US-brokered ceasefire agreement came into force, Hezbollah has not carried out any attacks on Israel. The group's statement says that the current attack is intended to remind Israel of the need to withdraw its troops from occupied Lebanese territory. This refers to five border posts that Israeli forces maintain in Lebanon, citing security concerns, contrary to the requirement to withdraw troops in accordance with the 2024 agreement.
On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran. Tehran responded by striking Israeli territory and American bases in the Middle East.
