Israeli rescue services reported that two additional people were killed in northern Israel due to rocket fire from Lebanon on Thursday, raising the total death toll from the barrage to seven. Magen David Adom, Israel’s primary emergency medical organization, confirmed the fatalities of a 30-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman in a suburb of Haifa, while also treating two others for mild injuries.
The Israeli military stated that approximately 25 rockets were launched from Lebanon, striking an olive grove where residents had gathered for the harvest. This attack followed another incident earlier that day in which five people were killed, including four foreign workers, when rockets hit an agricultural area in northern Israel.
The twin attacks made Thursday one of the deadliest days for civilians in Israel since the military’s invasion of southern Lebanon began on October 1, as part of an expanded campaign against the Hezbollah militant group based in Lebanon. This escalation comes amidst diplomatic efforts from senior U.S. officials, who are seeking ceasefires in both Lebanon and Gaza in a bid to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts.
Since Hamas’ assault from Gaza on October 7, Hezbollah has been firing rockets, drones, and missiles into Israel, provoking retaliatory strikes. The conflict along the border intensified last month, following heavy Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of top Hezbollah leaders.
The regional council of Metula, Israel’s northernmost town encircled by Lebanon, reported the latest rocket attacks, although details about the specific projectiles used were not disclosed. The area has suffered extensive damage from previous rocket fire, and most residents evacuated in October, leaving only security personnel and agricultural workers behind.
The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants criticized the authorities for endangering foreign workers by allowing them to operate near the volatile border without adequate protection.
Sheikh Naim Kassem, the newly appointed leader of Hezbollah, stated in a video message that the group would continue its fight against Israel until ceasefire terms are met that are deemed acceptable. He emphasized that Hezbollah remains capable of sustaining a prolonged conflict.
As airstrikes continued across Lebanon, killing eight people according to state media, the Israeli military urged further evacuations in southern Lebanon. The ongoing conflict has displaced about 1.2 million people since September, with thousands fleeing Baalbek in response to Israeli airstrike warnings.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reported over 2,800 deaths and nearly 13,000 injuries in Lebanon since the start of the conflict, while at least 68 people have been killed in Israel due to Hezbollah’s attacks, nearly half of whom were soldiers. More than 60,000 Israelis from border towns have been evacuated from their homes over the past year.