At least three powerful explosions were heard in the Tire region of southern Lebanon early this morning, AFP was told, as Israel announced it had fired more than 30 rockets fired at its territory from Lebanon.
A resident of the Rashdiya Palestinian refugee camp near Tire, Abu Ahmad told AFP that he “heard explosions”, at least two of which took place “not far from the camp”.
An AFP correspondent determined that a shell hit the wall of a house near a plantation, next to the camp, causing property damage.
The Al Manar television company, owned by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, close to Iran, reported shelling in three areas of southern Lebanon, including the area of the Rashdia refugee camp.
Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon are reportedly targeting the Rashidiya camp south of Tire. pic.twitter.com/hrcIIsp5jk
— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) April 7, 2023
Israel said it had attacked targets belonging to the Palestinian group Hamas in Tyre, South Lebanon on Friday morning following rocket attacks. #Israel launched from #Lebanon yesterday – through @lorienttoday
Both countries declared that “they don’t want war”. @UNIFIL_ pic.twitter.com/UqjgMREEL1
— Sally Abu AlJode | سالي (@JoudSally) April 7, 2023
Rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel pic.twitter.com/weceoPNP9u
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) April 7, 2023
For their part, the Israeli military announced almost simultaneously that they had carried out strikes against targets “in Lebanon”, positions they said belonged to the Islamist organization Hamas, and also announced an escalation of their strikes in the Gaza Strip.
He emphasized that he did not intend to “allow the terrorist organization Hamas to operate from Lebanese territory”, saying that this “holds the Lebanese state responsible” for any attack on Israeli territory “from its territory”.
The day before, more than thirty rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into Israel, as a result of which two were slightly injured. Israeli authorities have said they believe the rockets were “Palestinian” and were fired by either members of Hamas or members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
More than 30 rockets were fired from the south of Lebanon into the northern regions of Israel.
About 34 rockets were fired from Lebanese territory into Israel yesterday, the largest such attack since 2006. According to the military, the Iron Dome air defense system shot down 25 missiles. However, at least seven of them fell on Israeli soil. According to the Israeli emergency service, two people, a 19-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, received minor injuries.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, head of one of the most right-wing governments in the country’s history, declared that “we will strike at our enemies and they will pay the price for every attack,” opening a closed cabinet meeting attended only by ministers responsible for safety. Problems.
The atmosphere on the Israeli-Lebanese border is extremely tense, where, as you know, Hezbollah fighters are on alert.
UN forces in Lebanon, warning that the situation is “very serious”, called on all parties to show restraint in order to “avoid further escalation”.
Formally, Israel and Lebanon remain at war.
A new surge of tension in the region follows two consecutive nights of clashes between Israeli police and worshipers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, the Palestinian part of the holy city that Israel has occupied and annexed.
A spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday condemned the “continuation of Israel’s barbaric attacks on believers” in the midst of Ramadan, and since yesterday Jews have been celebrating Pesach.
Yesterday, the Lebanese Hezbollah issued a statement condemning the Israeli police operations in Al-Aqsa and expressed its absolute solidarity with the Palestinians.
Lebanon and Israel ‘don’t want war’, UN Interim Force says
Lebanon and Israel have given assurances that they “do not want war”, as announced today by the United Nations Interim Force (FINUL), deployed in southern Lebanon and guarding the neutral zone between the two countries, after contacts with their governments.
Blue-collar forces called on “all parties to cease all (military) activities following Israeli strikes in the early hours of the morning, following the launch of more than thirty rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel the previous day.”
Recall that earlier this year, the leaders of Israel and Lebanon today signed a landmark agreement on their maritime borders, thus opening the way to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons.
Events in Al-Aqsa
Al-Aqsa is located in Mosque Square, the third most important Islamic place of worship, in East Jerusalem, the Palestinian sector of the holy city that Israel has occupied and annexed. The square is located on what the Jews call the Temple Mount, the holiest Jewish shrine.
Violent incidents erupted at an Islamic mosque earlier this week between Israeli police and worshipers, whom she called “troublemakers.” The statement said he was forced into the compound after “masked rioters” locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones. “When the police entered, a large group of rioters threw stones at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque,” the statement said, adding that one policeman was shot in the leg.
The Israeli police also released video clips of more than 50 seconds, showing fireworks exploding at a place of worship and silhouettes throwing rocks. In another episode, police officers in riot gear enter a mosque, raising their shields to protect themselves from items thrown at them. It is also shown how the police remove at least five people with their hands tied to the bars.
Following the incidents, the Israeli police announced that they had “arrested more than 350” people. “Israeli police have arrested (…) more than 350 people” in connection with the Temple Mount incidents, it says in a press release that uses the Hebrew term for the square of the mosque, Islam’s third most important site and Judaism’s holiest site. .
On the other hand, the Palestinians on the ground accused the Israeli forces of using excessive force. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least seven Palestinians were injured. According to the same source, the injured porters were not allowed to enter the Islamic mosque. Other sources, such as the Jerusalem Post newspaper, reported 13 injured, 12 Palestinians and one Israeli policeman.
Source: Reuters, AFP, DPA, Jerusalem Post, Al Arabiya.
Source: Kathimerini
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