Israel says 20 rockets, 4 combat drones fired from Lebanon

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army said Wednesday that it detected the launch of 20 rockets and four drones from Lebanon into northern Israel as escalation continues to rise with Hezbollah.

A military statement said that 20 rockets were fired toward the Galilee region, triggering air-raid sirens in the area.

The army said most of the rockets were intercepted, while some projectiles hit open areas.

No injuries or damage were reported.

The army also said that its warplanes shot down four combat drones fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel.

The Lebanese group Hezbollah, for its part, confirmed that it fired a salvo of rockets targeting Israeli soldiers in the east of Maroun al-Ras town in southern Lebanon and in the settlement of Sa'sa' in northern Israel.

The group said that its fighters had forced two Israeli spy drones to leave Lebanese airspace by targeting them with surface-to-air missiles.

Israel has escalated its air campaign in Lebanon since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, in an escalation from year-long cross-border warfare since the start of offensive on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023.

Nearly 3,300 people have been killed, over 14,200 injured and more than 1 million people displaced by the Israeli attacks since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel on Oct. 1 launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar