Lebanon Volleys North Israel With Massive Rocket Attack
Hassan Nasrallah Delivers His Address
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November 03, 2023
Since the start of the Gaza war following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror raids, Israel's northern border has faced almost daily rocket attacks, primarily from Hezbollah based in south Lebanon.
Attacks have been expected to escalate in anticipation of the address by Hassan Nasrallah, which happened earlier on Friday, November 3. The major speech by Nasrallah voiced support for Gaza's struggle. Nasrallah addressed his followers saying that there was no war more justified than with "these Zionsists," The New York Times reported. The West perceives Hezbollah as a puppet controlled by Tehran.
Despite limited daily exchanges of fire, the conflict in the north has been largely contained so far, without the feared all-out assault from Hezbollah. However, on Thursday, November 2, one of the biggest rocket volleys occurred, with Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV station confirming that 25 rockets and mortars were fired simultaneously at northern Israel. This attack targeted about 19 separate Israeli positions.
In response, Israel's military confirmed that there were a "number of launches" from Lebanon and conducted strikes on "a series of Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon." Israeli forces launched a broad assault on Hezbollah, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, Ali Hashem, an Al Jazeera correspondent, observed that the border fighting appeared to be escalating ahead of Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, delivering his first address since the start of the fighting. Nasrallah's highly anticipated speech is scheduled for Friday.
Notably, Hamas units are also operating out of Lebanon. The Al-Qassam brigades, Hamas's military wing, announced that they had shelled Israel's Kiryat Shmona with a dozen rockets. Some of the missiles launched by Hezbollah and Hamas have made direct impacts on Israeli communities.
The major speech by Nasrallah voiced support for Gaza's struggle. Nasrallah addressed his followers saying that there was no war more justified than with "these Zionsists," The New York Times reported. The West perceives Hezbollah as a puppet controlled by Tehran.
The ongoing attacks from Hezbollah and Hamas pose significant challenges to Israel's security and further escalate tensions in the already volatile region. As the conflict continues, the international community closely watches for any potential developments that could impact the fragile balance in the Middle East.