The northern Israeli port city of Haifa came under fire late Sunday, with about five rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, causing damage and injuring eight individuals, according to Israeli authorities. This marked the first time Haifa has been targeted since the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
An official from Haifa’s municipality reported that the city was attacked during a period of heightened tensions, with air raid sirens sounding shortly before the rockets struck. The Israeli military is currently investigating how its air defense systems failed to intercept the incoming projectiles. Hezbollah claimed its rockets targeted a military base south of Haifa.
Additionally, a separate rocket barrage hit the town of Tiberias, located east along the Sea of Galilee, injuring another person. In response, Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in Beirut, targeting sites linked to Hezbollah. The Israeli military announced that a third division had joined its offensive in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah forces were reportedly engaging Israeli troops in border areas.
The ongoing conflict has intensified since Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel on October 8, 2023, following a deadly attack by Hamas in southern Israel. Despite significant losses, Hezbollah has vowed to continue its resistance against what it describes as Israeli aggression.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), over 135 rockets were fired into northern Israel on Sunday. Witnesses reported explosions in several neighborhoods in Haifa, and local emergency services responded to treat those injured, including a 13-year-old boy with shrapnel injuries.
Municipal spokesperson Eliran Tal condemned the attacks on civilian areas and emphasized the resilience of Haifa’s residents, noting that approximately 95% of the city’s population of 280,000 remained despite the rocket threats.