Power Outages and Destruction in Northern Israel – 130 Rockets Fired from Lebanon

The impact of Hezbollah's rockets in northern Israel. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Approximately 130 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel on Friday morning, causing power outages in several areas of Safed. 

Israeli Army Radio confirmed that around 130 rockets were launched towards northern Israel on Friday, with some being intercepted. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 12 reported that firefighting and rescue teams were dispatched to several locations in Safed after fires broke out while Al-Mayadeen reported, citing Israeli media, that firefighters are not allowed to extinguish fires in Safed for fear of additional missiles.

The Israeli military stated that the rockets were launched in two waves, targeting Safed in the Upper Galilee and the northern Golan Heights. 

Power outages were reported in some areas of Safed as a result of the rocket fire. 

One Israeli was reported to have been injured when his car was damaged during missile interceptions in the Golan Heights.

ISRAELI MEDIA: About 130 rockets fired at the north in the past hour.

FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG https://t.co/Kup8X6ynJv pic.twitter.com/WWLs6vYcBP

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 20, 2024

The Lebanese movement Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting the Israeli Matla site in the Galilee Finger region, as well as bombing the air and missile defense headquarters in the Kela barracks with Katyusha rockets. 

The group also stated that it had attacked the headquarters of the 188th Armored Brigade of the 36th Division in the Al-Aliqa barracks with additional Katyusha rockets.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported that Israeli aircraft struck the towns of Taybeh, Aitaroun, Adaisseh, Mays al-Jabal, and Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon on Friday morning. 

Israeli Airstrikes

After the series of mutual raids, during which Hezbollah launched 17 attacks on Israeli positions, the Israeli army lifted the emergency measures imposed on the Upper Galilee and the Hula Valley in anticipation of further attacks from southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military claimed to have destroyed 100 Hezbollah missile platforms in intensive airstrikes across several towns in southern Lebanon. 

HEZBOLLAH: Our Mujahideen bombed the main air defense missile base of the Northern Region Command in the "Beria" barracks with volleys of "Katyusha" rockets. pic.twitter.com/ymuK3yv4Ci

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 20, 2024

This comes amid heightened fears of an imminent conflict following the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, which reportedly resulted in thousands of Hezbollah communication devices being destroyed and hundreds of casualties.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that more than 52 airstrikes were conducted by the Israeli Air Force in southern Lebanon since 9 PM on Thursday. 

The strikes targeted forested areas in the town of Mahmoudiya, the outskirts of Aishiya, the Rayhan Heights, and the vicinity of the Barghaz River, but no casualties were reported.

The escalation follows an announcement by the Israeli military to shift the focus of its operations from the Gaza Strip to the northern front. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that military operations against Hezbollah would continue as part of a “new phase of the war” that poses significant risks, to return residents to northern towns.

Homes Damaged

In Metulla, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported that around 50 homes were damaged from Thursday morning until Friday as a result of shelling from Lebanon. 

According to Al-Jazeera, since the exchange of fire began on October 8, 300 homes in Metula – half of the town’s residences – ave been damaged.

🚨 The moment when rockets fired by Hezbollah made direct impact in settlements in occupied Safad and its surroundings.

FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG https://t.co/Kup8X6ynJv pic.twitter.com/33GwkVvzkJ

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 20, 2024

Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.

According to Hezbollah sources, the movement has carried out 1,194 military operations in the first 250 days of war, killing and wounding over 2,000 Israeli soldiers.

Israel has occupied parts of Lebanon for decades and has only left the country in 2000, following stiff Lebanese resistance under Hezbollah’s leadership. 

It attempted to re-occupy Lebanon in 2006 but failed in what Lebanon considers a major victory against Israel. 

Israel, however, continues to occupy parts of Lebanon, namely the Sheeba Farms region.

Hezbollah has vowed to recover every inch of Lebanon that has been occupied by Israel contrary to international law.

(PC, AJA)