Seven killed in Israel after Hezbollah targets Metula, Haifa, IDF pounds Lebanon, Syria

Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israel have resulted in the loss of seven lives in agricultural fields near Metula and Haifa, marking one of the deadliest days for Israeli civilians in months, according to a report by Times of Israel. 

According to the authorities, tragedy struck near the border town of Metula on Thursday morning when a rocket fired from Lebanon slammed into an apple orchard, claiming the lives of five people. Hours later, two more people were killed while in an olive grove outside the Haifa suburb of Kiryat Ata, as Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets at the area, Times of Israel reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed the attack by Hezbollah in a statement. Sharing a post on X, the IDF wrote, "Hezbollah rockets killed 7 innocent civilians inside Israel today. We will not let Hezbollah's deadly attacks go unanswered." All the victims were agricultural labourers who had been working in the orchard at the time of the strike. While one of them was an Israeli citizen, the others were foreign nationals.

Meanwhile, Israel on Thursday targeted weapons storage facilities and command centres used by Hezbollah's Radwan Forces and its munitions unit in Syria. Sharing a post on X, the IDF wrote, "A short while ago, following IDF intelligence, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) struck weapons storage facilities and command centers used by Hezbollah's Radwan Forces and its Munitions Unit in the area of Al-Qusayr, Syria."

It added, "Hezbollah's Munitions Unit is responsible for storing weapons inside Lebanon and has recently expanded its activities into the town of Al-Qusayr, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. With this, Hezbollah is establishing logistical infrastructure to facilitate the transfer of weapons from Syria into Lebanon via border crossings."

The IDF further said that the strike on the weapons storage facilities is part of a larger effort targeting the infrastructure of Unit 4400, the Hezbollah unit responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran, through Syria, and into Lebanon. The IDF further said that it launched a strike on weapons storage facilities, targeting the infrastructure of Hezbollah's Unit 4400, responsible for illicit arms smuggling from Iran through Syria into Lebanon. 

"The strike on the weapons storage facilities is part of a larger effort targeting the infrastructure of Unit 4400, the Hezbollah unit responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran, through Syria, and into Lebanon. This includes recent strikes on several border crossings between Syria and Lebanon used by Hezbollah for weapons smuggling," IDF said. 

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)