Smoke rises over border as Lebanon's Hezbollah says it launched rockets at Israeli military sites

Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday (July 4) it launched more than 200 rockets and a swarm of drones at 10 Israeli military sites in response to the killing of one of the Iran-aligned group's top commanders in southern Lebanon on Wednesday (July 3).

 

An Israeli military spokesperson said Hezbollah's claims were "under review," while Israel's ambulance service said there were no casualties reported.

 

A Reuters camera filmed white smoke in the sky above northern Israel and the Golan Heights on Thursday (July 4) showing Israel's defence system intercepting rockets. Smoke billowed over sites that appeared to have been hit.

 

There were also reports of shrapnel landing on the roof of a mall in the northern Israeli city of Acre, near Haifa.

 

Thursday's barrage follows at least two attacks on Wednesday (July 3) in response to what Hezbollah called "the assassination" of its commander, Mohammed Nasser.

 

Hezbollah began firing at Israel after its Palestinian ally Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, declaring its support for the Palestinians. It has said it would cease fire when Israel stops its Gaza offensive.

 

Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 300 Hezbollah fighters and 88 civilians, according to Reuters tallies. Israel says fire from Lebanon has killed 18 soldiers and 10 civilians.